Aberdeen Harbour recorded significant growth in activity throughout 2012 with total vessel tonnage for the year increasing by more than eight per cent, from nearly 26million tonnes to just over 28million tonnes.

The increase highlights the continued importance of Aberdeen Harbour to the energy sector operating in the UK Continental Shelf, as well as general commercial traffic, with the total tonnage of cargo also up almost 8 per cent from 4.76million tonnes in 2011 to 5.14million tonnes in 2012.

In addition to larger tonnages and cargo throughput, the overall number of vessels entering the port also grew, from 7,784 in 2011 to 8,142 in 2012 and included a number of vessels entering the port for the first time following the completion of a £5.2million project to widen and deepen the navigation channel.

Colin Parker, chief executive of Aberdeen Harbour Board, said: “We continue to see significant year on year increases in vessel numbers and cargo throughput, which underpins the important role Aberdeen Harbour plays as a key strategic resource to offshore activity in the North Sea and wider international energy sector. We have also seen an increase in general commercial traffic to international locations such as Norway, Russia and Africa.

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