Press Release

16 MARCH 2007

 

Stornoway Port Authority Board at its Friday night meeting decided to commission a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance [STAG] for submission to the Scottish Executive relative to the Port Authority's plans to provide a new Pier Number 1 and linkspan at the Port.

 

A STAG appraisal study is an objective-led process that seeks to avoid the traditional solution led approach and requires transport planners to identify what they are trying to achieve and is now a prerequisite for any application to the Scottish Executive's Harbours Grant Programme for harbour works that support lifeline ferry services in the Highlands and Islands .

 

The Authority had received four expressions of interest and decided to award the contract to complete the study to Jacobs UK Ltd at a cost of £35,000.

 

At the same meeting the Board approved of the Audited Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2006 which showed the a Turnover for the year of £1.42M, (£1.36M in 2005) and a nett profit of £199K. (£73,756 in 2005).

 

Members were advised that the increased surplus was as a direct result of significantly less expenditure on Pier Repairs following completion of a major ten years repairs programme at a cost of some £3.5M.

 

Commenting, Chief Executive John J. Maclennan said "It is imperative that the Authority operates profitably in order to build up reserves with a view to further significant investment at the Port and in an effort to keep borrowing to a minimum. To this end, in 2002 the Authority set up a Harbour Redevelopment Reserve Fund.

 

The Authority has now commenced the lead-in process to the next major planned development at Stornoway Harbour . The cost of rebuilding Number 1 Pier and Linkspan is of the order of £14M."

 

A copy of the full accounts will be posted on www.stornoway-portauthority.com or alternatively may be obtained at the Harbour Office.