Multi-million pound works to bring a mothballed Highland harbour back up to speed are due to kick off in the coming days.

For many years, Ardersier Port was one of the largest oil rig fabrication yards in the world, employing as many 4,500 workers.

Now new owners are revolutionising Ardersier – which, at 400 acres, is the largest brownfield port in the UK – with the hope of transforming it into Europe’s first fully circular energy transition site.

Under the ambitious plans, the facility, which shut up shop in 2001, will recycle retired oil rigs to make foundations for future fleets of floating offshore wind farms.

It is expected that thousands of jobs will be created at the site as a result off the revamp.

In order to open up the port’s half a mile long quayside, work is about to kick off on a £20 million, nine-month ‘capital dredge’ programme.

As much as 2.5 million cubic metres of sand, equivalent to 1000 Olympic swimming pools, will be removed as part of the operation.

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Associated British Ports is looking for a construction company to design and build an 11,000 sqm distribution centre, comprising warehouse and office accommodation and associated external works on a site covering 24 acres at the Port of Cardiff.

The start date is envisaged to be March 2022, with completion eight months later.

The deadline for initial submissions is 9th December 2021.

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THE new UK Infrastructure Bank has announced the first ever project it plans to invest in – and it is based in the North East.

The bank, which launched in June 2021 to finance innovative infrastructure projects, tackle climate change and boost growth across the United Kingdom, will invest £107m in the new South Bank Quay at Teesworks.

The loan will see part of the former Redcar Steelworks site along the River Tees transformed into a 450-metre quay to service the offshore wind sector, providing opportunities for manufacturing, storage and mobilisation of wind technology.

The UK Infrastructure Bank deal will support around 800 jobs directly, with the potential to unlock thousands of jobs in total across the rest of the Teesworks site as development intensifies in the coming years.

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National Maritime SME Strategic partners VolkerStevin have been named as the partner that will deliver Sunderland’s stunning £31m ‘smart bridge’, a pedestrian and cyclist crossing that will connect both sides of the Wear at Riverside Sunderland. 

The bridge, which will integrate cutting-edge technology to create engaging interactive experiences for those who cross it, will be constructed by VolkerStevin – a subsidiary of VolkerWessels UK with a turnover of £1bn+ – which specialises in major infrastructure projects. As part of the contract, the company has committed to £2.6m worth of social value commitments delivering a huge boost to people and businesses in the city. 

This includes a community fund to support worthy projects that improve the cultural, heritage, educational, environmental, energy and health opportunities of local residents, as well as a commitment to employ at least 15 local people on the project. Other headlines include projects to support local people with employability advice and guidance, as well as with schools and young people. 

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Work has started on a £2.5m project to build a marine engineering workshop and vessel wash-down area at Stornoway Harbour.

New jobs are expected to be created when the facility, being developed by Stornoway Port Authority (SPA), opens.

The project is the final part of a wider £12m investment in the Newton Basin and Goat Island areas of the harbour by the organisation.

Serving commercial and leisure markets, the workshop will house two covered boat repair bays, one of which will be available on a long-term lease and the other on a short-term basis.

It is being built on land reclaimed to create the 75-berth Newton Marina.

SPA awarded the construction contact for the development to Ayrshire-based 3b Construction, with a subcontract package going to Breedon Hebrides.

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The restoration of the UK’s oldest lido in Bath poses “significant engineering” challenges with the site only accessible by river.

Bristol-based construction firm Beard has begun work on the £6.2M Cleveland Pools project following a 17 year community campaign to save the Grade II-listed site.

Machinery, building materials and equipment required to carry out the major refurbishment work will be carried up-river on a pontoon pushed by a barge fitted out for the purpose.

The materials will be loaded up at the nearby Avon Rugby Club, which is being used as a base.

Built in 1815, Cleveland Pools is the oldest surviving outdoor public swimming pool in the UK.

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