Peterhead
Latitude: 57° 30'N
Longitude: 01° 46'W
Country: Scotland
Ownership: Peterhead Port Authority
Type: Trust
Usage: Leisure, Fishing, Commercial
Contact name: Mr John Wallace, Chief Executive
Address: Bath House, Bath Street, Peterhead, AB42 1DX
Telephone no: 01779 474020
E-mail: jewallace@peterheadport.co.uk
Website: www.peterheadport.co.uk/
About Peterhead
Peterhead is home to the UK's number one - and one of Europe's largest - white-fish ports, with 2,400 metres of berthing with ample depth of water to accommodate very large vessels.The port provides the North East of Scotland's best facilities and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sales at the fish market commence at 7.30am daily, Monday to Saturday. Vessels can land up to 9.30 if they have indicated before 7.30am an intention to land. The market is located on the north and east sides of the North Harbour/Alexandra Basin and covers 4,800 square metres of floor space and is capable of handling some 10,000 boxes of fish at each sale.
During 1998 the first thirteen out of eighty bays in the fish market were upgraded by halving the number of doors and replacing the existing doors with modern insulated doors. The walls and ceiling were also insulated by application of modern panels and stainless steel. This £200,000 pilot scheme was assisted by PESCA European Funding and is primarily intended to ensure the best opportunity for preservation of quality during the Fish Market link in the supply chain. Tests are being carried out to establish whether the temperature regime in the new area would be improved by refrigeration and compartmentalisation.
Three harbours (North Harbour, South Harbour and Port Henry) all at the northern side of the bay complex provide 2,400 metres of berthing face. Albert Quay, opened officially in 1992, provides an additional 340 metres of deep water berthing. Full fishing industry support is provided; two ice factories, net repair facilities, box-leasing, the full range of engineering repair and services, dry-dock, slipway, box loading berths, fuel and freshwater supplies.
130 local fishing vessels are based at Peterhead, with another 200 based at the port on a full or part time basis.
Peterhead Port Authority came into being on the 1st January 2006 with the merger of Peterhead Bay Authority and Peterhead Harbour Trustees. The new organisation is responsible for the management, operation and development of the Port of Peterhead. The port comprises two areas - Peterhead Bay Harbour and the Harbours of Peterhead.
Peterhead Bay Harbour is a deep water natural inlet protected from the sea by two breakwaters. Within the sheltered harbour there is approximately 2.1km of alongside berthing, with minimum water depths of up to 14 meters at low tide. The port developed round the North Sea oil and gas industry but in recent years has diversified the range of vessels and commodities handled to include cruise vessels, project cargo, frozen fish and pleasure yachts. The oil industry still forms the core activity in this part of the port which includes sectors such as oil rig IRM, survey, diving support, offshore logistics, safety vessels, subsea construction and decommissioning.
The Harbours of Peterhead have traditionally serviced the fishing and bulk cargo sectors. Peterhead is the UK's leading white-fish port and one of the largest in Europe providing a full range of modern facilities to meet the complete needs of the industry. In addition to white fish, it is the UK's second largest pelagic (mackerel and herring) port. Four harbours provide over 1500 metres of quayside supported by first class shore-side services including fuel supplies, ice and water plants, ship repair and maintenance facilities at the slipway and drydock.
Local stevedores are experienced in handling bulk agricultural products such as grain and fertilizer. The excellent deepwater berthing at the all weather Albert Quay makes it an ideal location for handling project cargo, mobilisation of diving support vessels and quayside fabrication.
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