Inverness harbour aims to attract luxury liners
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TALKS are taking place which could bring small luxury cruise liners to Inverness Harbour.
It comes on the back of last year’s visit of the MV Hebridean Princess — the first cruise ship to visit the port for several years — and is seen as a key growth area.
"We are really trying to sell Inverness as the capital of the Highlands and it is not just a benefit for us but the city and the economy in general," said Sinclair Browne, who took over as harbour chief executive seven months ago.
The harbour is a member of Cruise Scotland and has been speaking to operators and providing costings to berth at the port this summer.
But it is likely to be next year before the trade picks up significantly as companies set their itineraries a year ahead.
Liners capable of accommodating 50 passengers or more which tour Scotland and the islands are being targeted.
The Hebridean Princess berthed at the harbour last summer for two nights, with passengers visiting Culloden Battlefield and Fort George.
The leisure market is playing an increasingly important part in the harbour trust’s operation, with its 147-berth marina now operating at capacity and attracting leisure crafts from around the world.
However, plans to develop the marina area, including the creation of restaurants and shops, have stalled because of the economic climate.
Mr Browne insists this is still part of the plan for the harbour, which he wants to become a gateway to the city.
"I would like to see some form of major development that creates an attraction for people to visit," he said. "We want something that is attractive to the tourist industry but locals as well.
"These plans are currently being reviewed and updated, but we would like to see something happen sooner rather than later. We have spoken to a number of people who have expressed an interest and I would say there is potential."
Unlike many other UK ports, Inverness Harbour Trust, not the Crown Estate, owns the foreshore stretching from the marina to under the Kessock Bridge and around to the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. As part of a recent call by Highland Council for potential development sites, it submitted proposals for future reclamation of the land for development.
"We are just looking to protect our long-term growth," Mr Browne said.
He stressed there were no firm plans at this stage but that expansion in the future was possible, with the harbour keen to increase trade links with other cities.
It was to improve the import and exports trade — which currently involves timber, salt, rape-seed, coal and fuel — and tap into the renewable energy industry. "We see ourselves very much as being one of the sites to drive forward the Highland economy," Mr Browne said.
"We have already been in discussions with wind turbine manufacturers, looking to bring in wind turbines to service their proposed developments."
Two heavy haulage companies have also carried out test runs to assess the suitability of the harbour.
"We have a number of discussions ongoing at the moment, which we are hopeful will lead to something, but it is at early stages," Mr Browne added.
Meanwhile, plans to create a £5 million adventure centre near the marina could start this year.
Scotlog Sales owns the land and is hoping to build the centre, which would include ice climbing and rock climbing walls, a sledging area, laser quest play area and aerial assault course, in conjunction with the Lochaber-based Ice Factor Group, which has the world’s largest indoor ice climbing wall at Kinlochleven.
