Midway through 2024, there are encouraging signs that Lerwick Harbour can look for a strong performance for the full year, with a number of significant developments underpinning current and future activity.
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More than half – 70+ – of the cruise ships scheduled have already arrived in the first four months of a season which still has five months to run, weather permitting.
Lerwick Port Authority cruise and marketing manager Melanie Henderson said: “The final booking is for mid-November which would be the latest in the year yet. As well as an upsurge in arrivals during the main months, there is clearly a demand from passengers and cruise lines to extend the season at both ends in northern Europe.”
The ambition is subject to sea conditions, with North Sea weather thwarting a number of visits to Lerwick in the early weeks this year. However, the port is still expecting to enjoy a record season, with the highest figures yet for passengers, ships and tonnage of shipping.
Lerwick welcomed its largest cruise ship yet in May, the 181,541 gross tonne MSC Virtuosa, at 332 metres.
Virtuosa, with capacity for 1,704 crew, had 5,111 passengers on board. By contrast, the majority of cruise vessels visiting Lerwick are small- to medium-sized, with a few hundred passengers.
Another record year and bookings going forward – 149 so far for 2025 – make the cruise sector a major contributor to port performance. Strong passenger footfall, both on the daily Serco NorthLink Ferries services to Kirkwall and Aberdeen and increases in cruise passenger numbers, emphasises the opportunity to continuously improve the visitor experience.
Ms Henderson said: “As in handling any marine traffic, our role is part of the local supply chain, providing facilities and services enabling cruise ships to visit Shetland and the industry to make a significant contribution to the islands’ economy. We work closely with cruise lines and with stakeholders onshore to ensure visits integrate smoothly with the Shetland way of life.
“If we all continue to get the welcome right, there is tremendous potential for the islands to continue to benefit long term.”
Marine tourism this year includes hundreds of yachts – among them entrants in the recent international Round Britain & Ireland and Bergen-Shetland races. Five Tall Ships are also expected this year.
Progress across sectors
Port authority chief executive Captain Calum Grains said: “There are decisions to be made and challenges to be faced, but recent months have seen progress across the sectors in sustaining and increasing activity and future proofing operations.
“Possible projects on the drawing board include dredging to widen and deepen the approaches to Mair’s Pier and improve berthing options for mid-sized vessels there.
“With increasing pelagic landings, reclamation of land at Arlanda for the sector is being followed up with plans for further development, including a new cold store for Pelagia. This will be complemented by work at the entrance to the Lerwick Marina which will also benefit local pleasure craft and small fishing vessels.”
Lerwick Port Authority was part of a successful “Land in Shetland” marketing campaign and has seen an 8% increase in boxes of whitefish landed at Lerwick Fishmarket, with more Scottish boats using the facilities.
Headway continues to be made in diversifying the harbour into supporting renewables. Following delivery of materials for the onshore Viking Energy windfarm, now in final commissioning, and the signing of a first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Irish energy company, ESB, to support the development, operation and maintenance of a floating offshore windfarm east of Shetland, the Authority is pursuing new opportunities.
The UK offshore wind sector must work collaboratively with the fishing industry, so that both can co-exist and protect Shetland’s natural resources.
The authority is a founder member of a Scottish Offshore Wind Ports Alliance (SOWPA), launched last month by the country’s leading energy ports to target the offshore windfarm market. The authority is represented on the alliance’s steering group.
Both renewables and the offshore oil and gas industry – in particular, decommissioning – will benefit from the port authority’s planned ultra-deep-water quay at Dales Voe which will provide the UK with a unique facility.
More than 50 years on from first involvement in supporting offshore industry projects, Lerwick recently began servicing the development of the Rosebank oil & gas field for Equinor/Ithaca and contractor, TechnipFMC. Activity has also been boosted by an upturn in servicing offshore redevelopment projects using Greenhead Base for marine support and the recent arrival of Phoenix Decom, processing subsea decommissioning materials at its facility – a third quayside decommissioning pad for Lerwick.
Future proofing activity includes participation at industry trade shows and conferences at home and abroad, with recent targets including offshore oil & gas, renewables, cruise and fishing.
Find out more at the Lerwick Port Authority website.