UK: EMEC Director to Open Hatston Pier Next Week

Scotland’s longest commercial deep-water berth has been created in Orkney with the completion of a new extension at Hatston Pier.

The 160-metre extension to the existing 225-metre pier will be officially opened next week by Neil Kermode, Managing Director of EMEC, the Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre.

The £8 million project is a key component in an ambitious ports development strategy, which is underpinning Orkney’s world-leading role in the evolution of technologies that harness energy from waves and tidal currents.

Orkney Islands Council is investing in major infrastructure projects to provide the marine renewables industry with upgraded and new-build pier and quayside facilities throughout the islands.

The developments, at Hatston, Lyness and Copland’s Dock in Stromness, will support the trialling of technologies at EMEC, as well as the future development of commercial wave and tidal arrays in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.

The extension to Hatston Pier attracted £3.2 million in support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and has resulted in a major support and logistics base strategically located for EMEC’s tidal energy test site off Eday.

 “The Council recognised at an early stage how important marine renewable energy would be to the economy of our islands, to Scotland and to the UK as a whole,” said OIC Convener, Councillor Steven Heddle.

 “Investment in our three ports strategy means there are firm foundations in place to maintain and enhance Orkney’s pivotal role in the development of wave and tidal energy generation.

 “The pier is now almost a quarter of a mile long and, as well as supporting this important new sector, will serve Orkney well as a berth for a variety of vessels, including ferries, cruise ships and those serving the offshore oil and gas industries.”

 Neil Kermode added: “It is a great honour to have been asked to open this extension to the pier.

“It is a perfect example of the community seeing an opportunity for sustainable growth and making a timely investment to bring it about.

 “Orkney enthusiastically welcomed the first developers of wave and tidal turbines and has seen first-hand how hard they all work and what they need. Orkney has rolled up its sleeves to do what it can to help them succeed and the pier is the biggest manifestation to date of a can-do attitude that is county wide.”

The opening ceremony takes place at Hatston Pier on Tuesday, April 30.

After Mr Kermode unveils a plaque to mark the occasion, a ribbon to open the pier extension will be cut by Hazel Stephen, Marine Services office manager, who has more than 36 years of continuous service with that section of the Council.

Under the three ports strategy, a former wartime naval base at Lyness now has a new lease of life as a multi-purpose logistics base for the wave and tidal energy sectors. This £3 million development attracted 40 per cent support in ERDF funding.

Meanwhile, work is underway on a new 100 metre pier at Copland’s Dock in Stromness.

The £9.2 million project is being supported with £2.5 million in funding from the Scottish Government and £1.815 million from the ERDF. The new pier will support the trialling of technologies at EMEC’s wave test site at Billia Croo as well as commercial marine energy projects in the Pentland Firth and off the west coast of Orkney. The pier is due to be completed early next year.

Orkney has a number of other piers and harbours throughout the islands which could provide further support for the sector in future, as facilities for the servicing and maintenance of wave and tidal devices.

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Press release, April 25, 2013; Image: orkneyharbours