Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project

Shetland Maritime were engaged by Pirie & Smith on the Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project. This £350 million project is the largest marine infrastructure project in the UK. This was an exciting project, the largest civil marine engineering project in the UK at the time, which will have a major impact on Aberdeen Harbour and the North East area once completed in 2022.

Twenty two large concrete caissons were manufactured in Spain then transported to Cromarty Firth on two heavy lift vessels. Shetland Maritime provided Marine Warranty Services for the off-loading operation and mooring the caissons in Cromarty Firth. The caissons were subsequently towed to the new Aberdeen South Harbour in Nigg Bay by Caledonian Towage tugs Strathdon and Strathdee. Shetland Maritime provided towmaster services for several of the tows from Cromarty Firth to Nigg Bay.

Caisson being towed from heavy lift vessel to anchorage in Cromarty Firth.

Caisson C03 towed by Strathdee assisted by Forth Trojan and Green Isle being berthed in Aberdeen Harbour before final positioning by Ocean Kinetics Ltd.

Aberdeen South Harbour partially complete with ten caissons in place.