NorthLink freight boat Helliar back at sea after Chinese vessel unblocks path
A NorthLink freight boat is back at sea after spending days blocked into a port near Edinburgh by a Chinese heavy lift vessel.
Helliar left Leith port at 7.30am today (Thursday) after and is expected to resume regular journeys to the isles tomorrow, leaving Aberdeen north at 3.00pm.
Satellite tracking data suggests the blocking boat, Xiang Tai Kou, made a quick loop out of the harbour to clear a path this morning, then returned to its berth.
The delay, after a period of planned drydocking, wrought havoc on the businesses which relay on freight to export Shetland’s products south — from salmon and shellfish, to a range of livestock coming up for market.
Seafood Shetland had urged Transport Scotland and the Scottish government to intervene.
Shetland’s SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad said connectivity minister Jim Fairlie had “stepped in to mediate and secured the passage for Helliar from Forth Ports”.
“This is an SNP government that understands the importance of getting live produce to the Scottish mainland with speed,” she added.
“The government stepped with fact action as they understand the importance of island connectivity.”
It is understood the Xiang Tai Kou, a huge heavy lift boat, was docking as planned.
But it meant Helliar had been unable to leave dry dock on Monday as NorthLink had expected.
NorthLink’s managing director Stuart Garret said he had been speaking to Forth Ports to help it “understand the impact of this operational decision”.
Forth Ports said all vessel movements are “planned well in advance” and that “all port tenants were informed that there would be limited lock access at the Port of Leith this week”.
Dales Marine, which carried out the dry dock work, said in a statement: “Although we know restrictions can be put in place, Dales does not control port access.
“Forth Ports and local vessel agents communicate this to vessel owners/users and review schedules.
“Dales can only provide scheduling for our dry dock, noting when it’s available."
“We appreciate the issues that this has caused for the lifeline services and have done what we can to get this vessel turned around as quickly as possible.
“Dales is also affected by this delay, and we continue to work closely with Forth Ports and our clients to manage this as best as possible.”