Draft Sectoral Marine Plans for Offshore Renewable Energy in Scottish Waters: Socio - Economic Assesment

C9. Ports and Harbours

C9.1 Scoping Results

The results of the scoping assessment are presented in Table C9.1 (Offshore Wind), Table C9.2 (Wave) and Table C9.3 (Tidal) and indicate whether more detailed assessment is required (Y/N).

Table C9.1 Offshore Wind

* If arrays for low scenario occupy less than 5% of the Draft Plan Option areas, it has been assumed that spatial planning of the Draft Plan Option areas can be used to avoid significant impacts under this scenario.

Table C9.2 Wave

* If arrays for low scenario occupy less than 1% of the Draft Plan Option areas, it has been assumed that spatial planning of the Draft Plan Option areas can be used to avoid significant impacts under these scenarios.

** Draft Plan Option areas within 5km of maintained navigation channel. However, arrays for all scenarios occupy less than 1% of the Draft Plan Option areas and it has been assumed that spatial planning of the Draft Plan Option areas can be used to avoid significant impacts under these scenarios.

Table C9.3 Tidal

* Spatial overlap between Draft Plan Option areas and port or harbour maintained navigation channel(s). However, arrays for low and central scenarios occupy less than 5% of Draft Plan Option areas and it has been assumed that spatial planning of the Draft Plan Option areas can be used to avoid significant impacts under these scenarios.

** Draft Plan Option areas within 5km of port or harbour maintained navigation channel(s). However, arrays for low and central scenarios occupy less than 5% of Draft Plan Option areas and it has been assumed that spatial planning of the Draft Plan Option areas can be used to avoid significant impacts under these scenarios.

C9.2 Assessment Results - Estimation of Costs and Benefits

C9.2.1 Quantitative Assessment of Impacts to Port and Harbour Maintained Navigation Channel(s) and Reduced Development Opportunities

No wind or wave Draft Plan Option areas overlap maintained port or harbour channels. Cable corridors from wind and wave Draft Plan Option areas do provide potential for overlapping or crossing port and harbour approaches. Due to the proximity of tidal Draft Plan Option areas to the coast, a number of the developments overlap Port and Harbour maintained navigation channels and access routes; however these are scoped in for high scenarios only. Following the rationale used to assess the impacts on shipping, the high scenario development area identified for shipping (informed by AIS sea area usage and ferry routing) were positioned within each Draft Plan Option areas. From this development positioning within each tidal Draft Plan Option area, an evaluation of distance to the nearest port or harbour was made. This identified only one interaction within 5km, which occurs in TSW1 for the Isle of Whithorn harbour located in Dumfries and Galloway. For vessel navigating to and from this harbour in a NE- SW direction, the deviation around a high scenario tidal site has been evaluated and considered within the shipping section (see Table C5.3) which concluded that the additional steaming distance would be 0.4nm, with an additional annual fuel cost of £39,443. This evaluation is based on AIS data density counts within the boundary of the Draft Plan Option areas and assumed development location.

Cable corridors provide potential for overlapping or crossing port and harbour approaches, the impact on port activity is more evident in close proximity to port and harbour access routes. The impacts can be managed through careful planning and informing relevant parties, possibly identifying alternative access routes (if practical and possible). Ports and harbours can also have a level of control in the cable laying activities through granting works license within their statutory harbour areas. Cable routing will be addressed comprehensively at a site specific assessment stage, when navigation risk assessments are prepared for each development project. More detailed site specific studies will identify the most appropriate cable routes and the ports and harbours likely to be affected by associated activities.

C9.2.2 Reduced Development Opportunities

Table C9.1 (Offshore Wind) and C9.3 (Tidal) identify that for the high scenario only, it is considered that a reduction in development opportunities for Ports may be evident. Following the assessment methodology outlined in B9 Harbour Authorities adjacent to these Draft Plan Option Areas were contacted to understand their view on potential reduced development. Harbour Authorities responding to consultation (Orkney Harbour Authority, Shetland Islands Council Harbour Authority, Scrabster Harbour Authority, etc) expressed interest in seeking to offer port services to the renewable industry, and saw the development of marine renewables in a positive light. As consultees to individual developments within or adjacent to their statutory boundaries, Harbour Authorities would be consulted and would raise any immediate concerns for sighting developments at that time. Therefore it is concluded that offshore renewables provide an opportunity for increased business developments, with any specific concerns with individual developments being address through site specific assessment.

C9.2.3 Summary

The assessment process has not identified any significant adverse effects to Ports and harbours in respect of wind, wave and tidal renewable developments. The assessment has identified that the scale of the development within each Draft Plan Option area can be planned to avoid conflicting with port access routes and channels. The only harbour to have an evident deviation in its approach channel is the Isle of Whithorn harbour located in Dumfries and Galloway. Any temporary increase in marine risk associated with cable laying will be addressed in site specific assessments by renewable development companies, however it is possible to state that these effects are temporary in nature and can be mitigated through Navigational Risk Assessments, good communication and marine planning. The assessment of Shipping (see section C5) provides the monetary values associated with deviations around development sites and therefore the Ports and Harbours evaluation does not carry forward any values into the final financial assessment.

C9.3 References

Baxter, J.M., Boyd, I.L., Cox, M., Donald, A.E., Malcolm, S.J., Miles, H., Miller, B., Moffat, C.F., (Editors), 2011. Scotland's Marine Atlas: Information for the national marine plan. Marine Scotland, Edinburgh.

British Ports Association ( BPA), 2008. 'Scottish Ports Committee Ports In Scotland "Delivering Value".

Department for Transport (DfT) 2007. Ports Policy Review Interim Report, 19 July 2007. Available from: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/shippingports/ports/portspolicyreview/portspolicyreviewinterimreport

NOREL NAV Sub Group 2012. Draft Copy: 'Under Keel Clearance - Policy Paper Guidance To Developers in Assessing Minimum Water Depth Over Devices'. December 2012

Scottish Executive, 2006b. 'Scotland's National Transport Policy'. December 2006 Accessed: 15 November 2011. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/157751/0042649.pdf