MARINE SCENE

THINKING AHEAD TO DEVELOP ORKNEY’S BUSTLING

Orkney’s otherwise thriving marine scene was dealt a huge blow in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic immediately brought to a halt the cruise liner trade — an industry which brings so many ships and visitors to the islands.

The deepwater berth at Hatston Pier is normally a hive of activity throughout the spring and summer months, with ships of all sizes alongside, while a fleet of buses and tour guides are on hand to take visitors around the islands.

The meet-and-greet team is normally there to provide a friendly Orkney welcome, and local craft businesses are on hand to offer visitors items created here.

Shuttle buses normally run back and forth into the town, loaded with visitors.

Instead, apart from the ferries and other regular visitors at Hatston Pier, as well as at other harbours and anchorages used by visiting liners, the county remained remarkably quiet last year, and into this year, due to the pandemic.

Elsewhere in Orkney, other marine-related industries also rely on visitors. Dive boats take visiting scuba divers to the wrecks of Scapa Flow and elsewhere, and fishing remains a key local industry. There is a relatively large shellfish fleet, and smaller boats whose crews catch topquality lobster, crab, scallops and other prized produce.

There are three whitefish trawlers presently in the fleet, two very new-builds, and another new-build on the way to replace an older vessel.

There has been an expansion of salmon farming activity in Orkney over recent years, which has seen several new sites coming on-stream, creating new jobs and supply chain opportunities for other local businesses.

Scapa Flow is a busy oil port, with many shipto-ship operations often under way, as well as tankers calling at the Flotta oil terminal.

Being such a large sheltered harbour area, Scapa Flow is also favoured by some companies when it comes to positioning their vessels for longer-term lay-up and maintenance operations, which is why drilling rigs and semi-submersible accommodation platforms can sometimes be seen at anchor in the area.

Recently Orkney Islands Council’s Marine Services, which has invested in new tugs, launched a £230million ports masterplan, a vision for the future of harbour operations across five locations on the Mainland.

The second phase will then consider the development of smaller harbours and piers across the entire archipelago.

Orkney is also home to the European Marine Energy Centre, where numerous wave and tidal devices continue to be tested using cutting-edge technology. Home grown Orkney companies to service this industry have emerged and have world-leading reputations in this field.

EMEC is also involved in several hydrogen projects.

Orkney Marinas provide sheltered locations for visiting yachts and other vessels, and are also home to locally owned vessels, their owners enjoying all that the waters around Orkney offer.