29th August - 12th September 2014 | Ayrshire News 1
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29th August - 12th September 2014 | Issue 66 | Published by West of Scotland Media
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Ayr and Troon ports
generate £40M for economy By
Jordan McConville
A new report by independent consultants Arup has highlighted the massive contribution to the economy made by the Associated British Ports’ (ABP) two Scottish sites in Ayr and Troon.
The two ports generate a massive £40 million combined for the Scottish economy, whilst supporting 500 UK jobs. Of these totals, £28 million is contributed to the regional economy and 417 jobs are in the local area. Every year the Scottish ports handle around 650,000 tonnes of cargo. The Port of Ayr is the main entry point for wind turbines, while also handling large volumes of coal, agriculture supplies and whisky. Troon sees 100,000 tonnes of Scottish grown timber each year from the ABP’s bespoke TimberLink service.
The TimberLink shipping service benefits the local area by removing almost one million lorry miles from the road annually, creating large carbon savings and reduced traffic congestion. The Troon Port is also a vital link between Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the P&O Express high speed service to Larne operating out
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of the site. Last year over 180,000 passengers and nearly 52,000 cars made the trip across the Irish sea using the service, helping to develop economic ties and aiding the tourism industry in both nations. Arup, who provided these figures, have said that the amount the two ports contribute to the economy
will continue to rise with ongoing investment continuing. Andrew Harston, ABP Director Short Sea Ports, said: “Our ports in Scotland are a cornerstone of the regional economy, an important gateway for manufacturers and a vital link to important overseas markets. Port Manager Stuart Cresswell and the ABP
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team at Ayr and Troon do a great job serving the needs of Scottish importers and exporters. “I’m proud to report both these impressive new figures and our determination to build on this success with a programme of investment that we genuinely believe will continue to deliver growth for the regional economy.”
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