Successful Projects Highlighted At Harbours Management Board

28th February 2025

When The Highland Council's Harbours Management Board met earlier today, (Friday 28 February 2025) members expressed their delight that two projects are bringing benefits to the council, the fishing industry and their local communities.

The Highland Council manages approximately ninety ports, harbours and marine facilities, ten of which provide Marine Gas Oil (MGO) bunkering facilities. There has been a notable increase in the size of commercial vessels using these facilities over the last few years, putting an increasing demand on the existing systems.

A new faster fuel pump installed at Kyle Harbour in October 2024 is proving to be a great success, with fuel sales up and for the time it takes for vessels to refuel cut, making a stop to take on fuel far more attractive for all forms of boats.

The previous pumps at Kyle had a maximum output of 15,000 litres an hour which was too low for some of the larger vessels due to strict turnaround times set by the contracting companies. The new pump has an output of between 24,000-28,000 litres per hour.

Average monthly sales of fuel have increased:

• 2022/23 = 378,698 litres;

• 2023/24 = 558,303 litres; and

• 2024/25 to date = 626,698 litres

Chair of the Board, Councillor Michael Green said: "The income generated from fuel sales at our ports and harbours is an important income source for the Council. We are delighted that since the pump went into operation on 16 October 2024 there has been a total of 1,115,638 litres sold. By investing in modern infrastructure , such as the high-capacity fuel pump at Kyle Harbour, the Council is not only meeting the evolving needs of the maritime industry but also driving economic growth. The Harbours Board, along with the Highland Council is embracing a new entrepreneurial spirit, demonstrating a dynamic customer-led approach to business that prioritises efficiency, innovation and community benefit.

Another important source of income are fish landings at council run harbours and the Board discussed figures that put Kinlochbevie to the fore of harbours across Scotland.

Details of fish landings into all Scottish Harbours are collected by the Scottish Government and published is detailed within Appendix 1. The information provides useful and interesting information on the health of the fishing industry and harbours.

Although the full report for individual harbours is not yet available on the Scottish Government website, statistics for Kinlochbervie have been published.

The report ranks the council-run harbour as 6th overall in landings by tonnage with 7,923T landed. The total tonnage landed in 2024 was up by 30% compared to 2023, making it the highest % increase for tonnage in Scotland. Also ranked 6th overall in value of landings, the total value of landings last year was up by 21% compared to 2023, again, the highest % increase for value in Scotland.

Councillor Green said: “Successful fishing harbours are at the heart of the communities where they are located, offering employment, income and sales opportunities for the local economies. The figures for Kinlochbervie are excellent and show a thriving busy fishing harbour, very much at the heart of the local community. I want to thank everyone working at the harbour and everyone who supports it for their hard work. We look forward to seeing figures for our other harbours when they are published."