Lerwick harbour’s strategic location, which has served the offshore industry so well since operators first moved into the East Shetland Basin in the 1960s, is equally well-positioned to support increasing activity to the west.
All the more so since the series of developments which have enhanced the port’s role in servicing the full range of operations in the northern North Sea means there is a modern, deep-water and expanding infrastructure to back up projects on the Atlantic Frontier.
Both Lerwick harbour and the industry have come a long way since the first wave of offshore projects saw the development of Brent, Ninian and neighbouring fields supported from the port. Just as the industry continues to evolve, so, too, does the harbour to meet new requirements and opportunities.
Lerwick Port Authority chief executive Sandra Laurenson explains: “Our proactive approach and ongoing investment – in improved access, additional deep-water berths and expanded laydown, for example – is aimed at current users and attracting new traffic, with a focus on the large, specialist construction and heavy-lift vessels working on development projects and decommissioning.”
The success of the approach followed in recent years in drawing larger vessels to the port is demonstrated by figures for the first nine months of 2012 which saw 484 oil-related arrivals, up 13.6% on the same period in 2011, with the tonnage up 50% at 2.2million gross tonnes. Offshore industry cargo rose 52% to 107,427 tonnes.
o Deep-water developments
The key to recent and continuing port developments was a £12million dredging and land reclamation project, completed in 2008, significantly deepening and widening the north channel, widening the north entrance and the basin at Greenhead Base, with a minimum of nine metres’ water depth from north to south though the sheltered, twin-entrance harbour.
Both the north and south harbour areas have water depths over 50 metres, providing optional locations, depending on weather, for deballasting, mobilisation, lifts and support operations.
The port authority recently award a contract for further development at Greenhead Base – a 75-metre quay extension, pre-dredged to nine metres’ water depth, with construction between April and October next year.
The quay will extend eastwards to complement the 100-metre-plus berth 7, the largest section of which was completed ahead of schedule earlier this year to support a major offshore subsea project by Technip.
The port authority is also undertaking the procurement process for a centre of excellence for decommissioning at Dales Voe under an exclusivity agreement with AF Decom Offshore UK to create a facility with a 24-metre deep quay.
Lerwick already has an established reputation as a leader in offshore-related decommissioning, with Peterson SBS and Veolia Environmental Services at Greenhead where the companies’ current operations involve a long-term multi-field subsea disposal contract for Hess. Previous disposal contracts included a near-8,000 tonnes modules support frame from Total’s Frigg Field.
o For further information on Lerwick harbour, access www.lerwick-harbour.co.uk