Forth Ports unveils £10m spend to help Dundee win new work

Forth Ports yesterday outlined plans for the largest investment in the history of the Port of Dundee which will see more than £10 million ploughed into the facility.

Under the major spend, the ports owner will create a new quayside with “heavy lift” capability as it seeks to win more work in the North Sea oil and gas and offshore wind sectors.

Edinburgh-based Forth Ports said the privately-funded investment will see the development of the quayside at the east end of the port, connecting to the existing Prince Charles Wharf.

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Together with a deep-water berth and a land area of around 60 acres, the port will be able to handle the largest cargoes which would help it secure significant conracts.

Chief executive Charles Hammond said the port was “ideally placed to service the needs of North Sea oil and gas, decommissioning and Scotland’s offshore wind sector over the coming years”.

“The port’s existing skills base and location, combined with its riverside berths, deep water and rock river bed, put the port in a key position to become a hub for these sectors for construction, operations and maintenance and for decommissioning,” he said.
“Our investment also puts Dundee in a position to 
benefit from offshore renewable projects such as the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm.

“We are committed to investing in the port to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to support these industries and for the city of Dundee to fully capitalise on the significant opportunities they present.”

The construction process will take 18 months to complete with work starting immediately.

Maggie McGinlay, director of energy and clean technologies at Scottish Enterprise, described the investment as “great news for Scotland”.

“There still remains plenty of life left in the North Sea but it is vital we prepare to capitalise on the enormous opportunity on the horizon around decommissioning,” she said.

“This investment will add to the options available for future decommissioning activity.”

Business at the port has grown in the past 12 months, with highlights including the handling of a record 60,000 tonnes of barley during the 2015 harvest.