A Kishorn Port boss has declared the west coast site “shovel ready” for oil and gas decommissioning projects after it was granted a waste management licence by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).
A further £1.6 million has also been invested in preparing for new work at the Highland yard, where the massive dry dock was restored to working order two years ago after being out of use for decades.
Port director Alastair Ferguson said yesterday the company now hoped to take a number of inquiries it had received for the dock’s use “to the next stage.”
Kishorn Port is a joint venture formed in 2008 by Ferguson Transport (Spean Bridge) and quarry firm Leiths (Scotland) which both have operations there.
The latest progress towards establishing the site as a decommissioning facility was welcomed by Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse.
Mr Wheelhouse said: “I’m delighted Kishorn Port has been able to improve its facilities, particularly the improvements made as a result of successful applications to our Decommissioning Challenge Fund.
“I am happy to confirm we are investing £520,000 in additional infrastructure upgrades and waste management consultancy.
“This takes our investment in Kishorn to over £1.3m in two years of the Decommissioning Challenge Fund.”
Kishorn Port has also recently been awarded £550,000 financial assistance from development agency Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE) towards the purchase of two dry dock gate anchor arrays to facilitate the anchoring of the gates in Loch Kishorn between projects.
Recent investment has included additional upgrades and repairs to the dry dock. as well as consultancy work for licence applications and the development of a drainage plan for the site.
Mr Ferguson said: “The invaluable support from the Decommissioning Challenge Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise has enabled us to further invest £1.6m at Kishorn, making the site shovel ready for the receipt of oil and gas assets and a first-rate decommissioning destination.
“We have already received a number of positive inquiries for the use of the dry dock, which we are now in a position to take to the next stage”