Forth Ports is the statutory harbour authority for the Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay. We also own and operate the ports of Dundee, Leith, Methil, Burntisland, Kirkcaldy, Grangemouth, Rosyth and, on the River Thames, the Port of Tilbury. Together, our integrated ports offer customers a marine and anchorage network of the highest quality.

Activity

Currently there are over 3500 ship visits per year ranging from small coasters to project cargoes, naval and VLCCs. The Forth contains numerous ports and harbours with two river terminals handling crude oil and gas. Scotland’s largest container terminal and oil refinery, with jetties for clean oils, chemicals and gas are both located at Grangemouth. Anchorages are available on the Forth for passenger disembarking for the world’s largest cruise liners.

Anchorages

Forth Ports Scotland offers more than twenty designated anchorages outwith the pilotage area which are suitable for large ships, rigs, and semi-submersible vessels delivering project cargoes. Within the pilotage area there are anchorages further west which provide shelter, minimal sea conditions, and deep water.We also have anchorages available on the Forth for the disembarking of the world’s largest cruise liners. Our deep-water Forth Estuary anchorages are all located within Harbour Authority limits, with full VTS and Harbour Master surveillance 24/7. These vary in depth, with anchorages available in excess of 30m.

Anchorage moorings are also available on the Thames within central London at Greenwich Ship Tier, Tower Bridge Upper and George’s Stair. These mooring are suitable for cruise ships, super yachts or small specialist vessels.

Conservancy

The Conservancy department maintains hydrographic surveying, aids to navigation and dredging requirements within the Forth Ports jurisdiction of the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Tay. A port authority has “an obligation to conserve and facilitate the safe use of the harbour as well as a duty of care against loss caused by the authority’s negligence.” (Port Marine Safety Code). Safety of navigation is paramount for compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code. Using state of the art equipment enables us to accurately measure the seafloor, giving us the ability to produce a multitude of products including charts, digital terrain models and 3D point cloud products for inspection and analysis. Having detailed mapping of the seabed allows us to target dredging operations more efficiently and effectively.

With this in-house capability we can offer services to third parties looking for high detail mapping. Forth Ports are the first non-trust port in Scotland to have mobile laser scanning capability, enabling seamless gathering of data which extends both above and below the waterline. Combining data capture methods minimises the time spent within potentially hazardous environments. Effectively mapping the seabed and managing aids to navigation contributes to maintaining a safe waterway for mariners.