New Arbroath harbour gates in latest upgrade for busy marina

Arbroath harbour gates are to be replaced in the latest project to protect craft in the busy town marina. Angus Council has issued a tender for the project, which could begin later this year.

The current gates were fitted in 2004 and have had to undergo repairs in recent years. They maintain a fixed water level in the inner harbour for boats berthed on the marina pontoons.

Arbroath is still a working harbour, with a number of shellfish boats operating from it. But it has also become one of the most popular tourist marinas on the east coast. Sightseers and sea anglers enjoy trips out to Arbroath cliffs and 216-year-old Bell Rock lighthouse. There has also been a boom in the number of visiting pleasure craft from Scotland and abroad.

The council has issued a tender on the Public Contracts Scotland procurement site for the latest work. It says the existing dock gates have come to the end of their serviceable life. Concerns were previously raised that boats in the inner harbour might be at risk during heavy storms.

In 2024, Arbroath councillors said they wanted to see the gates replaced to avoid any possible repeat of damage suffered at St Andrews. The Fife port’s slipway was washed away and the harbour gates wrecked by Storm Babet the previous year. Harbour bosses there faced a £3 million repair bill.

Contractors have until July 3 to bid for the project. The council hopes work will start in August and take around 12 weeks to complete.

Replacement of the Arbroath gates is the second major harbour project the council is seeking a contractor for. It recently issued a tender for the replacement of the harbour’s slipway cradle. The 75-foot cradle is the last on Scotland’s east coast. It can carry vessels up to 120 tonnes and 92 feet long up the slipway for inspection and repairs. The council set aside more than £1.5 million in its 2025 budget for the harbour repairs.

The latest annual Arbroath harbour report detailed its continuing success. Last year more than 20 commercial boats fished out of Arbroath for lobster, crabs, prawns, and scallops. Most are berthed in the outer harbour. The inner harbour has 52 annual pontoon berths and seven for visiting craft. There are between 150 and 200 tourist yachts each year.

Pontoon charges are £147 per metre for the summer season from April to September. Visiting boats pay £37 a day for a pontoon berth.

This article appeared in the Courier on 5 May 2026