A strategy to dramatically improve Stornoway’s economic future by radical harbour developments over 20 years will be unveiled tonight.
Building a £50 million new deep water port south of the River Creed is the most ambitious project and includes a back-up ferry pier, berth for bigger cruise ships, and an industrial base for oil, gas and marine renewables.
This would provide space for any future relocation of the oil terminal and storage tanks out of town, permit bulk cargo handling, storage and warehousing though it requires rerouting the Arnish road.
Installing a new marina for 72 yachts at Newton and redeveloping the Goat Island boatyard may cost £10 million.
The 80 berths in the inner harbour are already bursting to the seams during the summer.
Suggestions for a third marina – in Sandwick Bay – are ditched.
Creating a lagoon between Cromwell Street quay and the YM bridge with a tidal sill bridge would give a shorter route to the Lews Castle plus offer a good sheltered environment for youth activities like dinghy training and canoeing.
A stretch of the harbour from the car sales garage to the present YM bridge would be partially filled in.
Stornoway Port Authority boss Alex MacLeod said: “We are now entering an exciting era for the port authority, where the projects within the port masterplan could have a transformational effect on the port and the island economy.”
Essentially, the port seeks to update mainly 100-year-old infrastructure and accommodate modern ships and industries.