Agreement promises major investment for Scrabster

Scrabster Harbour’s strategic location allows a range of services to be offered to a number of marine industries. Its proximity to the northern fishing grounds makes it one of the top fish landing ports in Britain with a modern fish market. It is also ideally located to service increasing oil and gas exploration activities on the Atlantic Frontier west of Shetland. A daily ferry connection to Orkney as well as cruise vessel and cargo handling facilities add to the mix that provides this small port with major potential.

This potential has not gone unnoticed by the Tananger, Norway based NorSea Group. The agreement will see NorSea’s first involvement in a port outside of Norway. Under the agreement NorSea Group will work with Scrabster Harbour Trust to develop new businesses and also develop the port as a one stop supply base servicing the oil and gas industry. NorSea Group also views optimistically the opportunities that may arise from the emerging marine renewables sector and the synergies this new area of marine activity offers with the oil and gas industry.

Significant construction work to support development of the base is currently underway at Scrabster. The first phase created a modern deepwater quay with 11,573m2 of quayside and lay-down areas which complement the existing harbour facilities. In NorSea Group, Scrabster will be experiencing the value of working with a well established supplier of base services and integrated logistics systems to the Norwegian oil and gas industry, the company already operates nine supply bases along the Norwegian coast, each hosting between 40 and 50 companies in the industry.

Barely a month after announcing the agreement, NorSea Group signed its first strategic working partnership with local logistics firm Hugh Simpson (Contractors) Ltd. The agreement will provide NorSea Group with vital local knowledge within the marine and offshore logistics industries including oil supply and shipping agency services.