NEW ICE FACTORY BOOST FOR PETERHEAD PORT

New ice factory boost for Peterhead Port. A brand new £3.5 million ice-making plant is up and running at Peterhead Port, further enhancing its support for the fishing industry.

The factory, located on Greenhill Quay adjacent to the fish market, is far more efficient and much more accessible than the two old plants it replaces, both from the quayside and roadside.

It means vessels can take on supplies of ice at any state of the tide and lorries can park easily and safely to load ice for local fish processing facilities.

 Peterhead Port Authority operates Europe’s biggest fishing port, and the investment is the latest instance of its ongoing support for the sector.

It follows on from a major £50 million investment five years ago to deepen the waters at Greenhill Quay, rebuild the quayside and erect a brand new fish market.

Landings of pelagic fish, whitefish and shellfish into the Port in 2023 reached £232 million.

Ian Downie, senior port engineer, said:

“Midway through 2022, when we took over Peterhead Ice Company that used to operate as a private concern, we recognised that the two factories that were currently operating were close to the end of their lives, and we needed to replace them.

“We then went out to tender to four different suppliers who had a track record of providing ice factories, and we eventually went with KTI Plersch, a German manufacturer.

“The period of manufacture was quite short. We had to complete the whole project within a year. Everything had to be shipped across from Germany to Peterhead, and it was assembled by local suppliers in Peterhead, supervised by KTI Plersch.”

The 15m by 5m unit was transported from a warehouse on the edge of Peterhead down into the town.

Construction was supported by a 25% grant from Marine Fund Scotland, and included a new 130kW PV system installed on the fish market roof, which will provide at least a third of the unit’s power.

“Each of the three ice makers can produce one tonne per hour. So it is more efficient than the old plants, plus the physical location on Greenhill Quay means boats can come and go at any state of the tide.

“Supplying fish to the market in the best possible condition is the ultimate goal, and this project makes that more readily achievable for our customers here in Peterhead.”