Aberdeen Harbour Receives Funding for EIA

Aberdeen Harbour Board has received funding from the European Commission’s TEN-T 2013 transport infrastructure initiative, to support on-going studies into the potential expansion of the Harbour into Nigg Bay.

The funding will allow the development of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the modelling of wave climate in the proposed port using a specially constructed scaled model. A total of 752,500Euros (£0.6m), 50% of the total costs of these studies, will be provided, with the balance being met by the Board.  

Colin Parker, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Harbour said: “The award of this funding is hugely significant. It further demonstrates recognition of this highly strategic project as one of national and international importance. It also recognizes the Board’s diligence in ensuring all the requirements of any future application, in particular the environmental considerations, are met in their entirety. 

We are particularly pleased that the Commission considered our application, produced with the assistance of the Aberdeen-based TEN-TaNS Project Framework, to be very ‘relevant, realistic and consistent’, as well as of very good quality. The Board is committed to seeking public funding in support of the Nigg Bay Project, and we hope that similar funding to this will be secured in support of the construction project itself”.

Amongst a number of subjects, the EIA will include individual studies into noise mapping, air quality, visual impact, socio-economic factors, hydrodynamics, fish and bird life, archaeology, traffic/ transport and water sediment/ quality. The modelling will look into wave analysis, climate and mooring conditions. Both reports are due for completion in 2015.

“Since stating our intention to investigate the possibility of expansion into Nigg Bay,” continued Colin Parker, “we have entered a period of intense and thorough engagement with all key stakeholders including customers, local residents and the wider business community. This process will continue ahead of submitting any potential planning application in the future”.