Scottish decommissioning hub

CessCon Decom will launch a decommissioning hub at the Port of Aberdeen’s GB£400 million South Harbour expansion in the latter part of 2022, creating up to 50 new jobs.

“Decommissioning is an important part of the UK’s energy transition and there are growing opportunities to reuse, repurpose and recycle material during the decommissioning process,” said Bob Sanguinetti, chief executive, Port of Aberdeen.

”We are keenly focused on this with CessCon and it complements our vision of becoming Scotland’s premier net zero port at the heart of the nation’s energy transition.”

Recycling and reuse

The new hub will be located within Crathes Quay at South Harbour and deliver dismantling, recycling, and reuse services with a key focus on subsea infrastructure. The jobs boost is expected over the next 12 months and CessCon will be encouraging applications from people living locally.

This facility is being established under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Port and CessCon, which aims to establish Aberdeen as a centre of excellence and port of choice for the offshore decommissioning sector. The agreement complements and expands the decommissioning services currently offered at the Port’s North Harbour and CessCon’s Energy Park Fife Decommissioning Facility.

The South Harbour decommissioning hub will offer heavy lift zones, impermeable concrete dismantlement and processing areas, water collection and treatment facilities, material storage areas, offices and canteen facilities.

CessCon said it is committed to the circular economy and the reuse and repurposing of equipment is a primary objective on all projects. The company has a minimum target on all projects of 98% reuse and recycling (by weight) of all material and has achieved over 99% reuse and recycling on several projects to date.

For the port on a wider scale, the South Harbour expansion will significantly enhance its capability and capacity, adding 1.4km of deepwater berths, considerable heavy-lift, flexible laydown space and expansive project areas.

The expanded Port of Aberdeen is at the heart of the North East Scotland Green Freeport bid which will create up to 32,000 high quality jobs and opportunities for those that need them most and boost GVA by GB£8.5 billion.