Project record

Port of Aberdeen 2026-2028 maintenance dredging

Participation
Awarded
Participation checked

Three-year Boskalis award covers annual 2026-2028 campaigns; dated navigation notices add operational evidence, with 2026 contractual acceptance unconfirmed in the appointment and navigation notices

Participation source

Port of Aberdeen appointed Boskalis Westminster for annual maintenance-dredging campaigns across North Harbour and South Harbour from 2026 through 2028. The owner identifies trailing-suction hopper dredging and bed levelling, with Freeway and MTS Valour planned for the 2026 campaign. Its in-house survey team uses pre-campaign bathymetry to define volume, programme and cost, then interim surveys to guide safe completion.

Boskalis trailing suction hopper dredger Freeway, the vessel announced for Port of Aberdeen's 2026 maintenance campaign

Port of Aberdeen; Freeway named for the 2026 maintenance-dredging campaign

Location

United Kingdom / Europe

Segment

Maintenance dredging and operating-port access

Phase

Award / Confirmed

Last checked

15 October 2026

Coverage

Related sectors

Maintenance dredging and operating-port access is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.

Subject index

Related subjects

These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.

Project anatomy

Contract scope and delivery roles

Client / authority
Port of Aberdeen, owner and operator of North Harbour and South Harbour
Delivery parties
Boskalis Westminster Ltd - three-year maintenance-dredging contractor for annual 2026-2028 campaigns, Freeway - Boskalis trailing suction hopper dredger announced for the 2026 campaign, MTS Valour - bed-levelling vessel announced for the 2026 campaign, Port of Aberdeen hydrographic survey team - owner-side pre-campaign, interim and safe-completion survey authority; not a construction subcontractor, No reviewed primary source names disposal, beneficial-use, survey subcontract or other support-vessel parties
Contract route
Port of Aberdeen awarded a three-year service contract to Boskalis Westminster covering annual maintenance campaigns in 2026, 2027 and 2028. The owner retains hydrographic control, using pre-campaign bathymetry to set quantities, programme and cost estimate and interim surveys to guide the contractor.
Execution window
The award was announced on 20 March 2026, with the first campaign scheduled to start that month and further campaigns in 2027 and 2028. The 17 September notice index marks the annual-campaign navigation notice as cancelled. Each year's works, navigation notices and contractual acceptance remain separate records under the three-year contract.
Works package
Maintain depths at berths, channels and manoeuvring areas in North Harbour and South Harbour using trailing-suction hopper dredging and bed levelling so the port can continue accommodating vessels up to 300 metres, subject to survey and marine-licence controls.
Marine interfaces
Owner bathymetry sets the campaign volume and dredging plan. Interim surveys must coordinate the TSHD and bed-levelling passes before the port can confirm safe navigable depths. Live vessel movements, disposal licensing and separate North and South Harbour workfronts remain operating constraints.
Commercial evidence boundary
The March award release names the contractor and planned 2026 plant but gives no contract value, annual quantities or sediment destination. The July navigation notice records least depths for specified areas; its published figures do not state a vertical datum. Contractual payment surfaces, final quantities, material records and campaign acceptance require separate evidence.

Project timeline

Material developments

Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.

Open this project in the Change Log

The dated index retained the depth notice and cancelled the campaign notice

Index version 35 marks annual-campaign notice 18/2026 as cancelled and controlling-depth notice 32/2026 as in force. The index gives a dated notice position; the cancellation date and contractual campaign acceptance are unstated.

Source

The port issued a new controlling-depth notice

Notice 32/2026 records least depths for named North and South Harbour areas and cancels notice 31/2026. The notice provides dated navigation information; it does not identify final dredged quantities, a payment survey or contractual acceptance.

Source

The port restated the operating access context

Port of Aberdeen linked its North and South Harbour infrastructure to vessels up to 300 metres without publishing a 2026 dredging-completion milestone.

Source

Boskalis received the three-year maintenance contract

The award established annual campaigns through 2028 and named Freeway and MTS Valour for the first campaign, while leaving value, quantity and final acceptance undisclosed.

Source

Evidence gap

What remains unverified

Outstanding evidence

  • 2026 mobilisation and completion dates
  • Annual dredged quantity and work-area allocation
  • Sediment disposal or beneficial-use route
  • Interim and final bathymetric survey results
  • Marine Directorate licence conditions
  • Plant changes across the 2027 and 2028 campaigns
  • North and South Harbour safe-depth acceptance

Related records 2

Reporting status

Project phase
Award
Evidence confidence
Confirmed
Last checked
15 October 2026
Cited sources
7

Sources and related records

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Source collections

Project sources 7