Scotland’s only local authority-operated harbour dredger is beginning to take shape in Moray’s biggest port.
Councillors visited Buckie yesterday to get their first close-up glimpse of Moray’s new custom-built vessel.
The £2.4million dredger is under construction at the Macduff Shipyard Ltd fabrication shed in the town and will be used to clear debris from seabeds around the area’s port entrances in order to maintain the desired water depth.
It is due to be finished next spring when it will be put to work servicing the Moray Council-owned harbours at Buckie, Burghead, Hopeman, Findochty, Portknockie and Cullen.
It will also be available for hire by other coastal authorities across Scotland.
A key feature of the new 90-foot boat will be the ability to access and clean out smaller harbours that have silted up, while its bow-mounted excavator will be capable of dredging to a depth of 27ft.
John Cowe, chairman of Moray’s economic development and infrastructure services committee, visited the construction shed at Buckie with fellow councillors Gordon Cowie, Gordon McDonald, Sonya Warren and Ron Shepherd.
Site manager Stuart Mack guided the visitors around the site and showed them the work currently being carried out on the stern of the vessel and the wheelhouse.
Mr Cowe said it was gratifying to see the dredger being constructed just across the road from Buckie harbour, where its capabilities would be put to good use.
“Buckie harbour is a massive asset to Moray in terms of economic development,” he said.
“Keeping it accessible to commercial traffic is of vital importance.
“This is a significant investment in our harbours and the local economy by the council, and highlights this administration’s commitment to the prosperity of Buckie.
“I look forward to returning regularly as the new vessel takes shape and to see her completed and operational.”
The boat – which will be powered by two 500bhp engines – will replace the Shearwater, which the council sold more than two years ago.
The construction project was awarded to Macduff Shipyards in Feburary and is the fabrication specialist’s biggest since it was taken over last year after going into administration.