Hans J Marter

9 August, 2007

A SHETLAND harbour could be dredged to a depth of 10 metres to encourage oil vessels into the port.

This morning (Thursday) Shetland Islands Council's Harbour Board agreed to press ahead with their multi million pound plans to deepen the entrance to Scalloway harbour.

The board is hoping it can take advantage of plans by Lerwick Port Authority to carry out their own major dredging work in 2008 or 2009 by appointing the same contractor.

Councillors chose to aim initially for a depth of 10 metres, at a cost of at least £3.15 million, rather than the cheaper option of 9.5 metres, which would cost not be less than £2.2 million.

However members were advised that no oil industry tug currently operational would need a depth of 10 metres and any other vessel which was that big would not be able to navigate into Scalloway anyway, while plans for the new West Pier only allow for a depth of nine metres.

A final decision on the preferred depth will be made next month, by which time operations manager Barry Edwards will have consulted with the oil industry at the forthcoming Offshore Europe show, in Aberdeen.

Meanwhile the SIC will try to obtain all the consents and licences it needs to dredge up to 82,000 cubic metres of rock and sand from the harbour and, possibly, reclaim land near the NAFC Marine College for future expansion projects.

All the paper work will be required to be in place if it is to take advantage of Lerwick's imminent dredging plans.

Ports general manager Jim Dickson said he would keep in close contact with Lerwick Port Authority to initiate talks with their contractor once they have been appointed. Tenders will be going out this month with the hope of getting offers back next month.

Mr Dickson said: "Once we know who the contractor is we will sit down with them and say that there is the possibility of another job here."

Should that option materialise, both authorities could save millions of pounds by sharing the cost of bringing the hugely expensive plant to Shetland. It would cost £1 million just to transport it from Rotterdam, the meeting heard.

The council blocked the LPA from carrying out their dredging work in 2005 with an interim interdict, saying it interfered with their own plans for a bridge across Lerwick harbour.