Bosses at Lerwick harbour are celebrating a record year for Shetland’s main port.
Activity levels bounced back from a downturn caused by Covid.
And hopes are high that 2024 is going to be an even better year.
Figures for 2023 include a 39% year-on-year jump in ferry passengers to 161,713.
Cruise vessels brought in 123,903 visitors last year, up from 58,540 in 2022.
These new totals were both records for the port and drove the overall total up 63% to an all-time annual high of 285,616.
More cheer in the numbers for Lerwick’s main port
The harbour also set a record for the tonnage of ships piloted in and out at 15,430,213 gross tonnes, up 33% on 2022, with the 1,023 pilotage movements an increase of 29%.
There were 5,002 vessel arrivals during the year, up 5%, with the tonnage increasing by 18% to nearly 14.6 million gross tonnes. The total included a record 129 cruise ships.
Lerwick Port Authority (LPA) chief executive Calum Grains said the figures reflected “a welcome recovery to normal operations in 2023, post-covid”.
There was a strong performance across the sectors and an “outstanding contribution by all involved in our increasingly important marine tourism activities”, Mr Grains added.
He continued: “We can now plan the future with renewed confidence.”
Reasons for optimism include a recently completed reclamation project, creating space for more improvements to the facilities available to the local fishing fleet.
Another record-breaking cruise season may be in store.
And support for the giant Rosebank oilfield will likely create a stream of marine traffic.
Meanwhile, the port’s bosses are progressing plans for an ultra-deepwater quay and strengthening ties with offshore wind farm operators as ScotWind projects ramp up.
An upturn in offshore industry traffic drove a 12% rise in all oil-related shipping last year. Oil-related cargo was up 34% to 54,743 tonnes.
Total cargo was down 1% at 877,197 tonnes, which LPA said reflected a 5% drop in roll-on/roll-off shipments from 2022, when figures were boosted by materials arriving for Viking Energy’s onshore windfarm.
Although there was a 2% drop in fishing vessel arrivals, there was a 14% increase to 232,701 in the number of white-fish boxes landed as skippers took advantage of strong prices.
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