Residents of Torry have have expressed outrage at the arrival of a towering oil rig at the Port of Aberdeen which is is being “imposed on the community without any consultation”.
Friends of St Fitticks Park (FoSFP), a group of community activists who have been spearheading a spirited fight against the encroachment of industry in the area, hit out at the “secrecy” of Port of Aberdeen bosses after largest-ever vessel to visit Port of Aberdeen arrived on Saturday.
The Noble Innovator jack-up oil rig, standing on legs more than 650ft in height, arrived at the Granite City’s new multimillion-pound south harbour on the weekend ahead of starting work for energy giant BP later this year.
Campaigners are aggrieved by what they see is a lack of consultation on activities of the Port of Aberdeen as well as plans for the expansion of a heavy industrial park, the Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), around the new south harbour.
These developments come on the back if the establishment of the new incinerator at Altens in an area that already holds a wastewater plant and landfill area.
‘Contempt’
The activists said the arrival of the rig makes a “mockery” of the Port of Aberdeen’s status as a Trust Port, which includes obligations to consult with stakeholders including the local community.
Friends member Scott Herrett (FoSFP) said: “Yet again the Port of Aberdeen shows their contempt to the people of Torry with the secrecy behind the arrival of this skyscraper oil rig.
Experience has shown that the promised jobs never come as described or benefit the local community.
Scott Herrett
“Heavy industry is being imposed on the community without any consultation and experience has shown that the promised jobs never come as described or benefit the local community.
“This is an example of a business as usual top down decision making, with no community input.”
The campaigners have previously argued that the area suffers worse health than than in other areas of Scotland.
FoSFP member Richard Caie argued the rig further reduced residents’ amenity.
He said: “The new harbour has already torn up the beach and taken away the view of the sea for those who visit St Fittick’s Park and now we’re being overshadowed by this huge rig.
If this is the kind of work they’re bringing to the harbour, then it will likely be extremely noisy and add light pollution for those living here 24/7
Richard Caie
“If this is the kind of work they’re bringing to the harbour, then it will likely be extremely noisy and add light pollution for those living here 24/7.
“This is bad for the health and wellbeing of people in Torry, who already suffer from generally poor health outcomes as compared to other parts of the city. The park should be a place of peace and quiet and abundant nature not an add-on to an industrial estate”
Fears of ‘industrialised green spaces’
Friends campaigner Ishbel Shand said: “This certainly gives the lie to the protestations of the people behind the land grab that this was about ‘energy transition’. It’s about maximising corporate profits.
“The community welcomes an energy transition, but it must be a just transition, meaning frontline communities like Torry are directly involved in decision making. This is not what’s happening here.
“This is part of the slow creep by the Port of Aberdeen, oil industry, ETZ Ltd and Opportunity North East to industrialise our last green spaces which will ramp up unbearable noise levels and light pollution.
“The support for the campaign is growing locally and nationally and together we will continue to fight any further industrialisation of St Fittick’s Park and Doonies Farm”.
Port of Aberdeen bosses recently declared their ambition for the new £400 million south harbour to become a leading location for jack-up maintenance.
Such vessels are common in the likes of Dundee and the Cromarty Firth.
But Aberdeen could not previously accommodate them due to water depths.
Noble Innovator will spend between 60 and 90 days at the new £400 million Aberdeen South Harbour while maintenance work is carried out.
It is destined for decommissioning work in the central North Sea.
South Harbour ‘designed for larger vessels’
Port of Aberdeen has said the maintenance work will benefit the region’s economy and create new jobs through a “multimillion-pound investment in local contract awards”.
A spokeswoman for Port of Aberdeen said that they wish to work closely with their stakeholders.
She added: “Port of Aberdeen takes its responsibilities as a Trust Port seriously and regularly engages its wide range of stakeholders, including the local community.
“We recently held a community Q&A session, which had a focus on the new vessels visiting South Harbour.
“South Harbour has been designed to accommodate larger vessels which would previously have sailed by the city. This opens new opportunities for growth in oil and gas, renewables, decommissioning, cargo, and cruise.
“This increased activity supports local jobs, attracts local supply chain spend and investment, and our profits are reinvested to improve the port facilitates for future generations.
“Our vision is to be Scotland’s premier net zero port, offering world-class facilities and services, at the heart of the nation’s energy transition efforts.
“We will continue to work closely with all our stakeholders and partners to support the energy transition and drive to net-zero.”
Conversation