Hans J Marter

5 September, 2007

LERWICK Port Authority is inviting four companies to bid for a multi million pound dredging contract which will see the harbour's north entrance deepened to nine metres.

The largest single dredging contract ever commissioned by the port will remove around 700,000 cubic metres of seabed. This will be used to reclaim around 18 acres of land at the Greenhead base and Arlanda, an area between the marina and pier at Gremista.

The work, essential for the future development of the port, was blocked two years ago when Shetland Islands Council won an interim interdict as part of the Bressay bridge row between the two authorities.

The LPA won the legal battle last January and following reconciliation talks they now hope to complete the dredging during 2008, almost three years later than initially planned.

The port's chief executive Sandra Laurenson said yesterday (Tuesday) that the deepening and widening of the north entrance would improve vessel access and create opportunities for future developments.

"The fish catching sector and processors will gain," Ms Laurenson said.

"Deeper and wider access will also suit offshore industry vessels which will be able to transit through the port, rather than going round Bressay.

"The reclaimed areas will provide locations for expansion of facilities and services.

"The widened access is key to future oil-related decommissioning barge activity by creating the opportunity to bring a number of barges to Lerwick for a single project and move them from different, sheltered berths in the harbour to the decommissioning pad at the Greenhead base as required."

At present, berthing at the Shetland Catch fish factory is limited by a depth of just 7.5 metres, which means large trawlers can only gain access at certain tides.

The situation at the Shetland Fish Products fishmeal factory, at Hoegan, on Bressay, is similar with a depth of seven metres.

Meanwhile plans for the reclaimed areas at Greenhead and Arlanda are being drawn up. These include extending the Greenhead base for future use by the oil industry, new deep water piers at Arlanda and the possibility of relocating Lerwick fish market.

Yesterday port deputy chief executive Victor Sandison said that he expects to receive prices for the dredging work by the end of the month with the port's board making a final decision during October.