Transformational projects which will create a major extension to Aberdeen Harbour and a new visitor centre for watching the city’s resident dolphins will be showcased as part of this year’s TechFest 2019 festival.
Construction is well underway on the Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project, a £350m development to create additional facilities at Nigg Bay, south of the existing harbour.
Dragados UK, the project’s principal contractor, will open the doors to the project Visitor Centre on Saturday, September 28, giving members of the public the chance to find out more about one of the most ambitious marine engineering projects in Scotland.
Free tours for up to 30 people will be held at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm.
Visitors will be able to watch the ongoing work and learn more about the harbour expansion, the construction work and the environmental protection measures being used.
A spokesperson from the Dragados UK Community Engagement team said: “The Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project Visitor Centre is a great addition to the project and has been a success since it opened in January 2018.
“So far, more than 6,000 visitors have been able to receive in-depth and personalised information about the project, including schools, universities and college, as well as a wide range of interested groups and general public.
“The Visitor Centre provides a really comprehensive approach to Community Engagement, since it affords members of the public the opportunity to learn about the project, see its progress from a privileged viewing platform and ask our dedicated team as many questions as they like.
“It’s a pleasure to be part of the TechFest 2019 programme, which includes some first-class STEM presentations and events. We hope our tours will provide our visitors with an informative and inspiring experience.”
Nearby Torry Battery will be the subject of a second event, which will focus on how our daily choices and actions impact our marine and natural environment.
The Greyhope Bay team aims to breathe new life into the area with a visitor space, exhibits, a cafe and temporary viewing platform.
Fiona McIntyre, founder of Greyhope Bay Ltd, will discuss plans for a zero-footprint visitor centre at Torry Battery, where visitors will be able to see circular technologies and models of design while watching bottlenose dolphins in the bay.
“We want to create opportunities for visitors to experience more of our marine world and through behavioural led practice to make a change with us in better understanding and limiting our impacts on our marine and coastal environment.”
Fiona will present Dolphins at the Battery: Aberdeen’s Circular Showcase at the University of Aberdeen’s Fraser Noble Building on Thursday, September 26, at 6.30pm.
Sarah Chew, managing director of TechFest, said: “The Aberdeen Harbour Expansion Project is one of the most significant marine engineering projects in Scotland and we are pleased to be able to offer an insight into this exciting new resource for the North-east.
“Visitors to the harbour and our coastline will also be familiar with the dolphins who live here and can often be spotted playing around the entrance to Aberdeen Harbour. The Greyhope Bay project will create a fantastic space to watch them while learning more about the history and importance of Torry Battery, and the audience will hear more from Fiona as she takes us through the plans and the vision for the centre.”
With a theme of Made in Aberdeen, the North-east’s annual festival of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has a lively programme of workshops, shows and presentations, running at venues across the city until September 28.
Supported by joint principal sponsors BP and Shell, TechFest 2019 will host some of the most influential and prolific STEM speakers in the UK in a range of engaging and informative events, suitable for audiences of all ages.
Harbour expansion and Greyhope Bay