Aberdeen (Scotland)

Aberdeen is a port city in Scotland, located on North Sea and between the rivers Dee and Don. The city has population around 230,000, ranking it the UK's 37th most populous. The company Northlink Ferries provide regularly scheduled crossings connecting Aberdeen with the Northern Isles, Lerwick (Mainland Shetland) and Kirkwall (Orkney Island).

During mid-18th-mid-20th centuries, town's buildings incorporated locally quarried grey granite, that can sparkle like silver due to its high mica content. Aberdeen is Scotland's oil industry center, university center and one of country's largest seaside resorts. Best-known tourist attractions include St Machar's Cathedral (15th-century), Mercat Cross (17th-century), Brig o' Balgownie (14th-century, Scotland's oldest bridge) and Winter Garden (Europe's largest indoor garden). Old Aberdeen is city's students quarter, also housing the campuses of two 15th-century universities - King's College (est 1495) and Marischal College (est 1500) - now combined into University of Aberdeen. The city is perfect as base for touring the nearby castles Crathes, Dunnotar, Slains, as well as the whisky distilleries Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Speyside Cooperage. Other popular sites include the Royal Family's summer residence Balmoral Castle, and the Braemar Castle, which hosts Highland's largest games every September.

Founded as fishing port, Aberdeen Harbour (on Dee River's estuary) has continually been improved. It is currently a major cargo port for export goods shipped from UK to Scandinavia (Baltic Sea in general). Major exports include granite, chemicals, fertilizers.

By cruise liners, the port is usually visited on "Around Britain" itineraries, as well as on some Scandinavian (Baltic Sea) itineraries. Port's cruising season is early-May through early-September. Harbour's water depth (max draft) is 10,5 m (35 ft).

In 2017, the cruise port handled 25 ship calls and 2095 passengers. In 2018, at Aberdeen Harbour were handled 27 cruise ship calls and 3387 passengers (61% increase over 2017). In 2018, NorthLink ferry traffic increased by 5% (to 151,000+ passengers). The total number of ship calls increased from 6775 (2017) to 9266 (2018). Port's total ship tonnage increased 5%.

In 2018 were continued the works on harbor's north breakwater - part of GBP 350 million port expansion project at Nigg Bay (scheduled completion in 2020). Harbour's expansion will allow docking of large ships, also ranking Port Aberdeen Scotland’s largest by berth capacity.

On May 29, 2019, Aberdeen Harbour welcomed its ever-longest vessel  - the 175-m (574-ft) long MV Beltnes (IMO 9432206). The Self Discharging Bulk Carrier arrived to discharge 35,000 tons of Norway-quarried fill material at South Harbour (behind the concrete caissons). The operation was part of the GBP 350 million South Harbour construction project and particularly for creating the two new quays (Dunnottar and Castlegate). Both docks are designed to support activities associated with the booming renewable energy industry.

Aberdeen cruise terminal