A major revamp of Lerwick Harbour will soon enter a new phase, when work starts on a new jetty at Holmsgarth North.
It will provide deeper berthing and better quayside facilities for the local fishing fleet, while the outer arm of the L-shaped jetty will be suitable for energy industry support vessels and also create a dock for a replacement white-fish market.
The £17million Holmsgarth North project will extend existing facilities at the port by more than 2,060ft and is expected to get off the ground in the third quarter of this year, with completion scheduled for the end of 2015.
It will be followed by the construction of the new fish market on Mair’s Quay, where work is expected to start in early 2016.
Lerwick Port Authority chief executive Sandra Laurenson said: “The commitment by the port authority to develop these next projects for the fishing industry will secure Lerwick as a leading fishing port in the UK and complement the excellent service provision for the fleet available here in Shetland.
“The main economic driver for this community is the marine sector, and by meeting the requirements for fish landings in the future that economy can flourish.”
Mair’s Quay was completed last year at a cost of £3.17million, signalling the end of a key stage of ongoing developments aimed at improving facilities at the Shetland port.
The need for better facilities for fishing boats is underlined in the latest landing figures from the port.
More than 32,500 tonnes of fish worth a total of £33.14million were brought ashore during the first three months of 2014, up 40% on tonnage and 57% on value from the first quarter of 2013.
Shetland’s seafood industry, including the aquaculture and processing sectors, is said to be worth £300million a year.
It employs about 1,000 people directly and hundreds of others in, for example, fish processing, marketing, transport, supply and engineering.
The total economic value is more than the figures for oil and gas, agriculture, tourism and the creative industries combined, according to figures from Shetland Islands Council.