Macduff Shipyards acquire disused Buckie Shipyard from Moray Council

One of Buckie’s longest-established industries is set for a major revival following the sale of its disused shipyard.

Macduff Shipyards Ltd has bought the Buckie Shipyard from Moray Council for an undisclosed sum.

The deal will further relaunch the town’s boat-building industry which was once one of its biggest employers and a mainstay of the local economy.

Moray Council had been seeking a new owner for the site since Buckie Shipyard Ltd went into liquidation three-and-a-half years ago.

It is hoped that the revival of the yard will help unlock Buckie harbour’s potential as a service and maintenance base for the offshore renewables industry.

From a strategic viewpoint Buckie is ideally placed to help service the renewables activity currently going on in the Moray Firth where the Beatrice windfarm is about to come on stream.

Macduff Shipyards was founded in 1940 and currently employs 210 people, including 35 apprentices, at Macduff, Fraserburgh and its existing site in Buckie’s Commercial Road which they purchased in late 2013 and from where 20 staff operate

Recent work at the Buckie site has included the construction of the Moray Council owned dredger MV Selkie, the launch of the fishing vessel Asteria as well as the construction of several barges and landing crafts for the aquaculture sector.

The company’s intention is to start the process of refurbishing the yard that has been closed for four years and suffered from a lack of investment for many years prior to this.

The north-east of Scotland is considered a centre for shipbuilding and ship repair, with many companies operating in the sector and providing a full range of services to fishing, fish farming, oil services and commercial vessel operators

Managing director John Watt said: “We see a great potential in Buckie harbour in the future. We have been providing a restricted service to the marine sector in Buckie these last three years, just launching a 19m fishing vessel which, although it is the fifth vessel we have launched in Buckie, is the first large fishing vessel to be built in the town in 15 years.

“Work has also started on the next fishing vessel in Buckie for Steven Clarke and partners as a replacement for the Caledonia , and the additional space will allow us to cater better for theMoray Firth inshore fleet as well.

“The slipways at Macduff and Fraserburgh are working close to capacity and we intend to build a facility that will complement other facilities and be able to slip heavier and wider vessels that cannot presently be accommodated in the north-east. We are hoping to have this up and running for summer 2018.”

Mr Watt said it was anticipated that the acquisition of Buckie Shipyard would see the Buckie-based workforce increase considerably as the site develops over the next few years.

He added: “Once the site is fully operation we believe it will complement the council’s vision of Buckie being an operations and maintenance port for any future offshore wind opportunities.”

Councillor John Cowe, who chairs Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure services committee, said the sale was a hugely significant development in ensuring the future of Buckie harbour as a commercial and industrial asset.

“This is very welcome news not only for Buckie but for the whole of Moray and its economy,” said Councillor Cowe.

“Building ships is part of Buckie’s heritage and it is great to know that tradition will continue thanks to Macduff Shipyards, whose reputation within the industry is second to none.

“Their acquisition of Buckie Shipyard will enhance the prospects of the Buckie harbour area being able to diversify and take advantage of the massive opportunities that the offshore renewables industry, in particular, will offer.”