Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Plan to make Ardrossan the "Superport" of the Clyde

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 20th March, 1970

PLAN TO MAKE ARDROSSAN THE SUPERPORT OF THE CLYDE

The claim that a super-port at Ardrossan could meet the needs of the Chevron and Murco oil companies, the British Steel Corporation and the Clyde Port Authority in one single multi-purpose deep-water terminal handling one million ton tankers and bulk carriers is made in a report issued this week.

The report, published by Mr J. M. Morton, a civil and structural engineer who lives in West Kilbride, further claims that the amenity of the coast could be preserved by siting the oil refineries inland and costs could be kept down by using only a single pipeline for refined products.

The report states that the long-term closure of the North Lanarkshire steel industry could be avoided by the use of modern transportation techniques and the industry kept viable by linking the proposed Ardrossan terminal by pipeline to the area, with a transportation cost of about one twentieth of that by rail.

TRESTLE BRIDGE

Mr Morton's proposals include the erection of a trestle approach bridge, 5200 feet long extending from Campbell's Rock to a jetty berthing structure approximately 2300 feet long capable of accommodating one million ton crude oil tankers on the seaward side and two 50,000 ton tankers on the landward side.
These could be used for either transhipment of crude oil or for the export of refined products.

It is claimed that one million ton tankers are projected within the next five years and that to provide for only 300,000 ton oil tankers, as recommended by Chevron, would be extremely shortsighted.
Sooner or later, states the report, someone is going to want to berth a million ton tanker on the Clyde.
Crude oil would be pumped ashore, through the old Ardrossan Dockyard and through a buried oil sealine 500 yards long to the crude oil storage area of about 150 acres of reclaimed land to the north of the existing Shell refinery.
Shell plans to deepen and extend their present berth to accommodate larger vessels would be unnecessary under the present proposals.
A geographical survey could be carried out to prove a suitable neighbouring site for an underground storage system. As well as affording an opportunity for reduced risks, and hence reduced premiums, underground storage systems leave the space at ground level for other purposes.

IRON ORE DISCHARGE

Conventional iron ore discharge would be replaced by pumping or pneumatic handling of the material with attendant savings in capital and operating costs.
For handling pellets of ore or pre-reduced material, a stockyard has been provided on reclaimed land to the south-west of the old dockyard.
The existing railway lines may be conveniently extended to form sidings as shown, and it is envisaged that the ore would be either stockpiled or loaded by gantry direct onto the railway waggons.

Upon general recognition of the advantages of iron ore sludge handling techniques the ore would be pumped direct from the bulk carrier to an inland site, and from there by pipeline to the existing steel works at Motherwell.

The cost of Stage 1 will be approximately as follows :
Access Bridge, ?2.68m ;
oil berths, ?3.50m ;
ore berth, ?4.35m ;
ore stockyard, ?0.79m ;
total ?11.32m (excluding pipelines and ore handling plant).

TWO PHASES

The plan shows in stage 2 how the site at Ardrossan could be developed in two phases to give additional general cargo facilities.
Phase 1 consisted of construction to the north-west of the deep water trestle bridge and would produce five berths for general cargo vessels of the order of 50,000 tons deadweight.
It will require to be protected by a breakwater-wharf structure, and a concrete crib type having a hollow wave chamber separated from exposure to the sea by a perforated wall is suggested.
The cost of this phase would be approximately ?15 million.
Should further growth of traffic demand the implementation of Phase 2, then a further five general cargo berths, container parking and a transatlantic passenger liner berth could be provided for a further capital expenditure of approximately ?20 million.

The report anticipates that the existing dock facilities would be retained for small coasters, passenger services, tugs, etc., thus complementing the new facilities and providing a fully integrated port serving the Lower Clyde with direct road and rail access to the Glasgow conurbation.

Furthermore, an additional deep water berth for oil tankers up to 500,000 tons with another two 50,000 ton berths could be provided in the general user port till conditions moderate.

The report concludes with a claim that the interests of Industry and Amenity may be reconcild to their mutual advantage.
The construction of a "Super-Port" at Ardrossan which might come to be called a "Southampton of the North" provided the solution to what otherwise might appear to be an insoluble problem.