Aberdeen harbour enjoyed another record year in 2012 after tonnage increased by nearly 10%.
Aberdeen Harbour Board (AHB) underlined the port’s importance to the north-east economy yesterday as it revealed total vessel tonnage was more than 28million tonnes.
The number of ships using the harbour was also up in 2012, reaching 8,142 compared with 7,784 in the previous 12 months. The increase comes after AHB invested £5.2million to widen and deepen the navigation channel at the harbour mouth, allowing some larger vessels to enter Aberdeen for the first time.
AHB chief executive Colin Parker said: “We continue to see significant year-on-year increases in vessel numbers and cargo throughput, which underpins the important role Aberdeen harbour plays as a key strategic resource to offshore activity in the North Sea and wider international energy sector.
“We have also seen an increase in general commercial traffic to international locations such as Norway, Russia and Africa. It is also clear that our decision to widen and deepen the navigation channel has had a positive impact on our business and highlights our commitment to ensure that our customers continue to receive a world-class service.”
The record figures come as AHB considers expansion into nearby Nigg Bay in a development potentially worth hundreds of millions of pounds. At the same time as the port nears capacity, harbour bosses predict demand from oil and gas vessels will increase. After announcing the potential expansion last month, AHB said it would carry out further analysis on the proposals and on continued development of the existing site.
“Any future development of the port will require a robust business case, however Aberdeen harbour is a key regional resource that generates more than £500million for the north-east economy annually,” Mr Parker said.
“Potential development opportunities will help safeguard the port and the city’s position within the energy industry, ensuring the harbour is equipped to accommodate the growth in activity anticipated in the years to come.”
Activity at Aberdeen harbour supports around 11,000 jobs.