Scrabster Harbour officially opened its redeveloped St Ola Pier on December 9, last year.
The redeveloped structure, located at Caithness port, provides 500 metres of deepwater berthing, with a new 250-metre outer berthing face able to accommodate larger ships.
The quay offers a water depth of 9 metres at chart datum on the outer berth and 7.5 metres on the inner berths. With a project investment of GBP 18.9 million (EUR 22.7 million), the development was delivered on budget and on time providing increased capacity and allowing North Highland port to accommodate bigger ships.
The investment is expected to allow Scrabster to access new opportunities in the cruise industry.
For several decades, Scrabster, the most Northerly port on the Scottish mainland, has been the port of choice for the British Queen and the Royal Family family when they disembarked from the Royal Yacht Britannia every August to visit the Queen Mother at Mey Castle, her Highland holiday home, 11 mi from Scrabster. Now, as the Castle is open to visitors, cruise passengers can follow in their footsteps.
Located within walking distance of Thurso, the 2nd largest town in the Highlands, Queen Elizabeth Pier has opened up the remote landscape of the Far North to bigger cruise ships. The cruise pier is 180 metres long, with a depth of 8 metres at Chart Datum. Deep-water anchorage is available within 0.2 nm (nautical miles) of the harbour.
The area boasts a lot of heritage centres, historic buildings, and tours viewing the North Coast and all the natural heritage on offer.