Ferguson Transport & Shipping – Road Haulage, Marine Services, Port Facilities, Storage and Warehousing
Address: Integrated Freight Facility, Annat, Corpach, PH33 7NN
Group Managing Director: Mr Alasdair Ferguson
Telephone: 01397 773840
Fax: 01397 773850
Email: enquiries@fergusontransport.co.uk
Website: www.fergusontransport.co.uk
Site Address: Kishorn Port, Kishorn, Strathcarron, IV54 8XA
Site Telephone: 01520 733 358
Port General Manager: Mike Bauermeister
Ferguson Transport & Shipping – Road Haulage, Marine Services, Port Facilities, Storage & Warehousing
Kishorn Port Limited (KPL) was formed in 2008 as a joint venture between Ferguson Transport & Shipping and Leiths (Scotland) Ltd, to work closely with the energy industries and local communities, with the objective of regenerating the site and bringing it back into full use.
The two companies transfer their skills into the energy sectors through the quarrying, concrete, and construction materials expertise of Leiths, and the port operations, marine services, and transport logistic skills of Ferguson Transport & Shipping. Combined, the parent companies employ over 700 skilled staff.
KPL continues to progress with development plans for Kishorn Port. With full Planning Permission, a Waste Management Licence, an EU Ship Recycling Licence, and a NORM Permit in place, KPL can accommodate the needs of the following sectors: oil & gas and decommissioning projects; the laydown and assembly of renewable energy devices; operations in manufacturing of offshore wind, wave and tidal sectors, and the aquaculture and timber industries.
On site there is an established quarry with 6.5m tonne of aggregate reserves and port facilities offering marine services, stevedoring, cranage, warehousing and transport facilities.
The Dry Dock has an opening of 166m, with a concrete base floor of circa 160m in diameter and 13.8m of water @MHWS, making it one of the best sites in Europe within its field in terms of capacity and for future requirements in the oil & gas and decommissioning sectors, with almost unlimited load bearing capacity in the Dry Dock floor. The sheltered nature of Loch Kishorn allows for minimum amount of disruption to operations due to sea state, even in winter months. Plans have been approved to extend the Dry Dock to accommodate vessels up to 250m long and 50m wide.
Kishorn Port Limited (KPL) has further site improvement plans in the pipeline, with Highland Council granting planning permission to expand the dry dock to accommodate vessels of up to 250m in length and for the reclamation of 9Ha of foreshore ground. This will increase the area of laydown land available for renewable energy operations alongside day-to-port activities including oil and gas vessel decommissioning/maintenance, aquaculture support and port services by 9.5Ha, providing over 20+Ha of suitable land for laydown and an overall footprint of 45Ha for assembly and load-out of offshore floating wind structures alongside day-to-port operations including vessel decommissioning, aquaculture and port and marine services. We can also provide anchorages and moorings for vessels and offshore floating structures within the port boundaries.
The site at Kishorn was originally developed in the 1970s by Howard Doris Ltd for the construction of the renowned 600,000t Ninian Central Platform. The Ninian Central Platform is one of the largest man-made objects to ever be moved across the face of the Earth and is still operating to this day.
Other notable projects since the Ninian Central Platform include: BP’s Buchan Alpha, which was serviced in Kishorn and modified for a major refit and conversion to gas lift operations for the North Sea; the construction of the topside of the Maureen Field Platform; the Morecambe Steel DP-4; the construction of caissons for the Skye Bridge and ground breaking trials by the wave energy company Albatern.
More recently, Kishorn Port welcomed the arrival of Diamond Offshores Ocean GreatWhite, one of the largest semi-submersible drilling rigs in the world. Whilst stationed at the port over a period of 2 months the rig underwent preparations for a drilling campaign in the North Sea. The port provided a supply base and Ferguson Transport & Shipping provided offshore marine agency and stevedoring support. With a draft of over 23 metres, the rig required deep water for anchoring and Loch Kishorn provided the ideal sheltered conditions for this task.
In 2020 the port saw the downsizing and recycling of the cargo vessel the MV Kaami within the dry dock. This was followed by the Voyageur Spirit FPSO which is moored within the dock for preservation and maintenance and the anchorage of the Banff FPSO for TeeKay. The Northern Producer Semi-Submersible Drilling Rig has also been to date anchored at Kishorn Port in preparation for reuse or recycling.
Now, in 2023, we have successfully relocated the Voyageur Spirit FPSO outside the Dry Dock to allow the Noble Intrepid, the world’s largest jack-up rig, to enter the dry dock for inspection, maintenance, and repairs. We also welcomed the return of Diamond Offshores Ocean GreatWhite for anchorage in the loch, with supporting marine services, prior to going onto a further drilling campaign North West of Shetland for BP.
(295)