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Plain sailing for Fort William’s marina as thousands of cruise ship visitors bring £1.6m to local economy

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Kate Forbes MSP with the Fort William Marina and Shorefront Community Interest Company
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Kate Forbes MSP with the Fort William Marina and Shorefront Community Interest Company. Supplied by Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company

Fort William’s pontoons have attracted 35,000 cruise ship visitors and boosted the local economy by £1.6million since they opened in 2016.

The Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company (FWMSCIC) was founded in 2013 by a small group of volunteers.

Their collective aim is to regenerate the waterfront and to have a permanent berth in Fort William.

Since forming, their achievements include installing the Fort William pontoons, the pontoon extension and installing the canopy in Cameron Square.

It is revealed that since opening in 2016, the pontoons have brought £1.6m to the local community.

Seven superyachts have also used the pontoons, and the number of local users has gone from seven to 17 a year.

2023 is forecast to bring in a promising £2.2m

FWMSCIC director Sarah Kennedy states that Fort William is a ‘perfect’ cruise ship destination.

“We’ve had 55 cruise ships since the pontoons opened in 2016. That’s brought just over 35,000 passengers and crew to Fort William that wouldn’t have come otherwise.”

Grand opening with the Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company and Fiona Hyslop MSP
Grand opening with Fiona Hyslop MSP. Image supplied by: Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company

“About 250 yachts or boats have used the pontoons, 93 of which are since we did the extension which is phenomenal when we haven’t even advertised.”

2023 too has a promising forecast; the pontoons are expected to break the £2m milestone since opening in 2016.

21 cruise ships have been scheduled for a visit 2023, five of which will be coming to Fort William for the first time – a maiden voyage.

2024 also looks promising with 15 cruise ships having already scheduled a visit.

Image supplied by: Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company

 

Fort William also hosts the shortest tender trip in the UK at sea at just 300 metres.

When cruise-ships arrive in Fort William on a maiden voyage, the FWMSCIC are sure to give them a warm welcome.

Visitors are given a ‘Highland welcome’

Captains are welcomed upon arrival with a bottle of Ben Nevis whisky, a jar of local honey and a candle made from local beeswax.

A card is also exchanged, welcoming all passengers and crew to Fort William.

Director Sarah Kennedy says “we hand out leaflets, and give them a really nice, friendly Highland welcome.”

Kate Forbes MSP with FWMSCIC director Sarah Kennedy welcoming cruise-ship MS Black Watch on its maiden voyage
Kate Forbes MSP with FWMSCIC director Sarah Kennedy welcoming the MS Black Watch on its maiden voyage. Image supplied by: Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company

 

 

So what next for the marina?

“Now that we’ve got the extension in which took so long, what we’d love to do is get in protection from the south,” says Sarah.

Fellow director Hamish Loudon explains that they would also like to install facilities for electricity and fuel, but especially water.

“Water is the first thing that yachts will typically run out of,” says Hamish. “And of course we’ve got excellent water in Lochaber, so that’s the main attraction.”

The FWMSCIC are also hopeful that there will be a seaplane berth in Fort William one day.

“Now we’ve got the extension in, it would quite easy to come alongside with a seaplane,” says Sarah, “and that would cause activity on the loch.”

“We’ve found that when cruise-ships have been in, people have actually stopped. They’ve been driving along going ‘oh, it’s a cruise ship, let’s go and have a look’.”

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