A coastline shaped by energy

"It's really a testament to the history of the region and a pretty amazing one at that"

Interesting facts:

The Kelpies statues were inspired by the mythical water spirits from Scottish folklore that were said to have an ability to shapeshift from spirit form to horses and lure travellers into the deep waters.

Between South Queensferry and Falkirk lies Grangemouth Port, where the Superiority eventually picked up her cargo. Grangemouth features the largest coastal refinery in the UK, containing a refining capacity of 150,000 barrels per day. Operated by Petroineos, the refinery has a capacity to produce LPG, naphtha, gasoline, diesel, gas and fuel oil, kerosene and even jet fuel. It is one of the most complex refineries on the North Sea coast and plays an integral role in fulfilling the industry quota for the UK.

Arthur's blog

Exploring a tanker has been a life-long dream for me, so it’s probably not surprising that myself and Mike arrived at Port Edgar Marina long before it opened.

Finding ourselves with several hours to kill, we decided to take to the road again to film and learn more about the surrounding ports and coastline.

The marina is set within South Queensferry harbour, overlooking the famous Three Bridges and the panoramic landscape of the Firth of Forth. South Queensferry has a long history of connecting the Scottish coastline with the wider world. What started as a trade of goods a few centuries ago quickly transformed into a blossoming trading and cultural region, earning the status of UK Conservation Area not so long ago.

We stopped at Falkirk, a Scottish town that liaises with the North Sea via a network of canals, playing its part in connecting mainland Scotland to international waters. Once there, we headed to one of the area’s most renowned landmarks, The Kelpies - a symbol of Scotland’s industrial past, devoted to the great power and history of the surrounding waters and Scottish folklore.

Interesting fact:

The name ‘Hound Point’ is rooted in a local legend, taking place during the Crusades. According to the legend, the Lord of the neighbouring Barnbougle Castle died fighting in the Crusades, leaving his cherished hunting hound behind. As the Lord found his demise, the hound began to howl inconsolably. Since then, it is rumoured that one may hear the ghostly howls of the hound on the Point just before the death of the present Lord.

While the vast expanse of the North Sea offers grand production facilities and the convergence of regional and international trade, it is the coastline that essentially connects the mainland with seaborne energy. So, I decided to look at more key ports that serve James Fisher around the coast of the North Sea.

Soon it was time to head back towards the Superiority, which was anchored near Inchkeith Island in the Firth of Forth. As we sailed past Hound Point marine terminal, we spotted the ESTRELLA, which was loading a cargo of forties.

Located east of the Forth Bridge and the Grangemouth Port, the Hound Point Terminal is the primary oil and gas marine terminal for the region, welcoming multiple vessels per day on their way in and out of the North Sea.

Rotterdam

The Superiority is a frequent visitor to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, one of the most forward-thinking coastal institutions, continuously adopting new sustainability initiatives to revolutionise North Sea trade. As such, Rotterdam Port has the best port infrastructure according to the World Economic Forum alongside having the 3rd largest in the world Futureland Port Pavilion.

Thanks to Rotterdam Port, the sea coastline obtained an LNG-focused front in its waters - the LNG terminal with a 12 billion m3 capacity available for import and export with available LNG bunkering.

Interesting facts:

Rotterdam Port also houses the largest green hydrogen plant in Europe (Holland Hydrogen I), built by Shell and scheduled to operate from 2025 onwards.

The port launched the world’s longest Green and Digital Corridor together with Port of Singapore, aiming for activated sustainable shipping on this route by 2027.

Aberdeen

Interesting facts:

The fishing area in Aberdeen has been existing for more than 8000 years, with the port coming to existence in 1136 AD through King David I of Scotland, granting the right for trade. It is the cornerstone in the history of the North Sea trade and reflects much of the historical past.

The port had a part in the creation of the world’s first maritime autonomous surface ship powered by liquid hydrogen.

Together with SubSea7, Port of Aberdeen started an initiative “H2Shore - Hydrogen coastal storage and distribution” to identify the most feasible offshore location for storing Hydrogen, including testing underwater storage facilities.

The Port of Aberdeen is the oldest existing business in the UK. It holds numerous oil and gas operations facilities as well as sustainability initiatives, aiming to achieve a transformation into a net-zero port by 2040. The city of Aberdeen owes its existence to the port, emerging around it as a consequence of thriving trade.

Antwerp

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is the second largest port in Europe and its history can be traced back to Roman times due to its ideal location for commerce and international trade.

Now the port leads a defined strategy for becoming the #1 import hub for green hydrogen, shaping its decisive approach to sustainable energy.

Interesting facts:

Antwerp features a dedicated diamond district where around 84% of the world's diamonds are traded through the port.

The network of canals, connecting mainland Belgium to the North Sea via the port, is representative of the region’s trade heritage, as some of the canals date back to almost the 12th century.

English North East Coast

The North East coast has always had strong ties to the energy shipping industry, with the first oil tankers built on the banks of the River Tyne in 1863. The coastline forms a key part of the Superiority’s busiest route, and she regularly visits its ports, in particular Immingham and Teesport.

Handling 6 million tonnes of energy bulks per year, the Port of Immingham is able to handle some of the largest vessels in the world. One of the closest ports to major power stations of the north, it forms a critical part of the supply chain for sustainable electricity generation and other energy production, cementing the Humber region as ‘The UK’s Energy Estuary’.

The 5th largest port in the UK, Teesport sits close to the mouth of the Tees River, providing a natural marine opening with lock-free access to the North Sea. Located at the heart of one of the UK’s major energy hubs, It has one of the deepest general purpose quays in the UK, able to berth even the largest offshore support vessels. Teesport also provides a platform for the import of LNG at a dedicated Import Terminal - providing a direct connection into the National Transmission System.

Interesting facts:

The Mayflower sailed from Immingham in 1608, carrying pilgrims escaping to Holland.

The North Sea bears an unpredictable character, with shallow waters and strong currents that pull in different directions, making it one of the most dangerous seas in the world. A few miles down the road from Teesport you can find the Zetland museum, home of the oldest surviving lifeboat in the world and one of only 31 built by the pioneering lifeboat builder Henry Greatland. Taken out of service in 1864, over 500 lives were saved by the Zetland.