Nearly £500,000 worth of repairs are to be undertaken at two Moray ports in the coming months.
Spending on the harbours in Burghead and Portknockie has been included in the council’s financial plans for the year.
Now it has been confirmed that a contract has been awarded for the works to Hampshire-based Constructex.
The £480,000 project will involve repairs to the pile foundations of Burghead’s north and south piers as well as work to the harbour walls at Portknockie.
Work in Burghead was initially due to be take place last year but was postponed due to temporary staff shortages.
Council leader Graham Leadbitter said the maintenance work was vital to ensuring both ports continue to operate.
He said: “The on-going investment in our harbours through routine works and larger capital works, such as these, are critical to ensuring that both commercial and leisure craft can access them.
“In recent years, the income from our harbours has grown considerably and that is enabling us to deliver these projects as a more cost-effective way of running them.
“It is critical that we keep on top of harbour maintenance because the fishing fleets at Burghead and Buckie making a living from them and they provide facilities for leisure craft which generate significant tourism income.”
Last year, a major £500,000 project was undertaken at Buckie Harbour to drill new a new foundation wall into the bedrock to strengthen the port’s north pier for years to come.
A new concrete surface was also installed.