News

Main charges held / new Board members appointed

Increasing demand means additional sidings

Main charges on shipping and cargo at Aberdeen Harbour are again to remain unchanged for the coming year as part of the strategy to sustain and attract traffic through the port's continuing competitiveness.

It will be the ninth time in 10 years that there has been no increase in the charges which have risen by around 17% since the early 1980s, against an 151% increase in inflation in the same period.

Harbour Board Chief Executive, Colin Parker, said: "Another very busy year in 2007, combined with a positive outlook for 2008 and the Board's strong financial position following a period of record traffic, enables us to hold the main charges yet again.

"At the same time, we are continuing to invest in the future and have a number of major projects underway or at the planning stage."

As a Trust Port, the Board reinvest all profits in improving and expanding the facilities offered at the port and have approved a capital budget of around £57 million for the next five years.

Two new Board members, along with a re-appointed member, will contribute to the future of the port when they take up their three-year terms on 1 January, 2008.

Joining the Board are retired Councillor Raymond Bisset who served in local politics for 33 years, latterly as Provost of Aberdeenshire, and on the boards of numerous external organisations; and Stephane Mauduit, a former Master Mariner and Chief Engineer with worldwide shipping experience who joined Total E&P UK Limited in 2001 and is now its Logistics and Marine Manager for North Sea operations.

Keith Allan has been reappointed to the Board for a further three-years. He joined Shell International in 1965, is a former Director of Technical Services with Shell Exploration & Production in Aberdeen and serves on the boards of companies in the UK and USA. He has been a Harbour Board member since 1991 and Vice Chairman since 1997.