29 April, 2009

INCREASED passenger numbers, higher white fish landings, lower oil prices and refit programmes contributed to mixed fortunes for Lerwick harbour in the first quarter of this year.

The number of vessel arrivals was down 4.6 per cent across various areas of activity at 1,293, with the overall tonnage down 9.9 per cent at 1.9 million gross tonnes, due mainly to the NorthLink ferries being away for dry-docking this spring.

With more large diving support and construction vessels using the deep water port, the tonnage of oil-related shipping rose 10 per cent to 360,643 gross tonnes.

However the reduction in offshore industry activity was demonstrated by a 24 per cent drop in oil-related cargo at the port, where the total weight of all cargo handled was down 15.7 per cent at 200,960 tonnes.

Despite the reduced ferry services over almost six weeks, passenger traffic increased by 6.6 per cent to 17,372.

Lerwick’s busy cruise ship season gets underway next month, with 49 vessels scheduled and around 26,000 passengers expected over five months.

Fish landings totalled 27,836 tonnes, valued at £27.5 million, down 50 per cent on volume, with a 0.6 per cent increase in value.

The huge drop in volume reflects a cut in blue whiting landed for fishmeal, as with reduced quota available, a larger proportion of this fishery is being landed for human consumption.

White fish at 3,196 tonnes, was valued at £4.7 million, up 1.5 per cent on volume and up one per cent on value. The price per tonne showed a small decrease of 0.46 per cent to average £1,494 per tonne.

In the pelagic sector, winter mackerel landings were down in volume and up in value, while there were no industrial fish landings at Heogan, Bressay during the period.

Lerwick Port Authority chief executive Sandra Laurenson said: “We forecast in 2008 that, due to specific circumstances in particular sectors and the general economic climate, there would be slower growth in traffic this year, and the statistics are in line with our projections.

“However, backed by our investment and development programme, our outlook for the longer term remains positive.”