Regions for Port and Maritime Consultancy ~ Scotland

Ship Repair Facility Study, Shetland, Scotland
We were appointed by the Shetland Islands Council, under subcontract to Arch Henderson, to assist with the preparation of this study into the provision of a ship-lift or dry dock or other facility for ship maintenance and repair. Our role included consideration of markets, type of facility, management and operations. (2010)

Port Operations & Ownership Arrangements, Scotland

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) appointed Fisher Associates to carry out a review of the operation and ownership of Scottish ports hosting lifeline ferry services. This contributed to a comprehensive review of ferry services being undertaken in Scotland, in order to develop a long-term strategy and the policies to achieve this. The assignment was approached in four key steps:

• A baseline review to fully identify and clarify the existing arrangements for who does what and where with whom etc.
• Make a review of relevant policy and regulatory exigencies at all levels covering all aspects of the port's operational environments.
• Prepare a framework for analysis and assess how ports perform against this.
• Draw conclusions.

Our underlying approach was to develop a database to form the basis of an ongoing management tool for CMAL. This added significant value by focusing on delivering a management tool developed according to best practice, including scoping the database, preparing functional specification, and providing user notes. (2009)

Largs Pier Review, Scotland

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) commissioned Fisher Associates to undertake a review of public access to the pier at Largs, Ayrshire on the Firth of Clyde.

The pier was under reconstruction in the first half of 2009, during which access to the public was denied partly as a consequence of the deterioration of the condition of the old pier, and also as a result of the construction works associated with rebuilding the pier. 

There was local concern that this prohibition would continue on completion of the rebuilding works. However, both CMAL (the pier owner and statutory authority) and CalMac Ferries Ltd (the pier operator), made a public commitment to do everything possible to allow public access to the new pier within operational, safety and security constraints.

CMAL therefore required an assessment identifying the risks associated with (potentially unrestricted) public access to the redeveloped pier, and to propose control measures by means of appropriate management, operational and physical procedures and structures, such that any unacceptable risks identified were mitigated to an acceptable level. (2008/9)

Stornoway to Ullapool Ferry Study, Scotland

We were appointed by Comhairle nan Eileen Siar (the Council of the Western Isles) to prepare a STAG pre-appraisal of the future of this service.

The goal of this study was to ensure that the vessel(s) providing the service on the Stornoway / Ullapool ferry route, over the next 15-20 years, maximised both the quality and level of service available to all ferry users.

The objective of the commission included:

• Assess the key issues affecting stakeholders on the route.
• Identify constraints and uncertainties.
• Identify planning objectives and measures that might be taken on the route to support these.
• Make an initial appraisal of deploying different types of vessels, assuming that the current ports are retained.

Six options were assessed including “Do nothing”, deployment of different sized conventional Ro-Pax vessels, and use of fast ferries.  A quantitative appraisal was made of the options to assess likely trade-offs between additional financial costs and induced economic benefits. The appraisal parameters included an assessment of all the costs of operating services.

We concluded that alternatives to Do Nothing indicated indirect economic benefits that are significant relative to the marginal cost of implementing them. Recommendations were made on the focus for more detailed appraisal, possible amendments to tariffs, and associated port infrastructure issues. (2007)

Business Plan for Marine Site Acquisition, Scotland

Fisher Associates were engaged by transaction advisers to review the business plan for acquisition of a large marine engineering related site in Scotland. Services included benchmarking rentals and commenting on the robustness of the business plan. (2005)

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