Scrabster Harbour Authority is upbeat about the progress it has made in attracting cruise traffic to the port despite the latest season ending on a low at the weekend.
The Amadea was due to be the final liner of the year to tie up at the port’s Queen Elizabeth pier on Sunday.
But stormy conditions at sea forced the 29,000 tonne vessel to change its itinerary with its 600 passengers instead being taken round the north and west coasts before docking at Stornoway.
The Serenissima had also been forced by bad weather at sea to abandon its scheduled stop-off in Scrabster earlier in the month.
The total of 13 scheduled arrivals this year would have been record, but even with the two call-offs, it still maintains an upward trend in terms of vessels and passengers.
The summer also saw the berthing at the harbour of its biggest ever vessel, the 689-feet long liner, Seabourn Ovation.With 10 already booked and work getting under way on a £17.3 million scheme to accommodate bigger and longer vessels at the St Ola pier, the port authority is bullish about future prospects.
Authority chairman Tom Pottinger said all the signs are that Scrabster will continue the gradual increase in cruise liners.
He said: “With 10 already booked for next year, it is looking promising.
“If all goes to plan, the work on the St Ola pier should be complete by 2021 after which we will be able to attract bigger and longer vessels so we are well placed to continue to develop our cruise business.”
In August, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) announced it had agreed investment of up to £3m towards the upgrading of port facilities at Scrabster.
A new piled quay wall and pier deck will be installed to expand the St Ola pier.
Both the inner and outer side of the pier will be dredged to create water depth of around 30 feet. And a reclamation area with revetment at the root of the pier will provide storage for cargo handling.
Cruise ships of up to 820 ft supply vessels up to 558 ft will be able to use the upgraded pier. On completion the £17m project is expected to increase vessel tonnage and port revenues by 18% and support an additional 28 jobs.
It forms the second part of a wider harbour master plan of phased development by Scrabster Harbour Trust. Phase one saw the £17.6m redevelopment of the old fish market pier to create a modern multi-purpose quay facility.
