Bunnahabhain Biomass Project

The project started at the beginning of August, a busy time for tourism on Islay. This was far from ideal but our hands were tied as it needed to coincide with our client’s programme requiring completion before the end of March 2022. This date was set to meet a deadline required by the Renewable Heat Incentive programme, a contributing part of the project funding.

However, before we started we had a bigger challenge to overcome. Export customs had been discussed at length with our client and their supplier, and it was agreed the shipper would arrange. Yet, only days before the first load was due to move, the shipper declared they hadn’t prepared in time and were unable to arrange the clearances. The project was likely to fail unless Hemisphere could find a solution. To make matters worse, the collection points were 9 different factories.

We spent the next two days working on a way forward. Thankfully, Hemisphere’s tireless preparations for Brexit meant we already had a number of strong contacts to turn to. With only minimal disruption to the schedule, we found a solution – much to the relief of our client and the shipper. Hemisphere duly took control of the export clearances and were able to proceed.

The first moves were euroliners taking out standard equipment. With European operators unwilling to visit Islay, we’d already created a solution: unloading the euroliners in Dumbarton and transloading to flatbeds (required as the delivery point needed to offload the trailers by crane) for delivery onto the island. The customer had some concerns over this procedure as loads in all previous projects had been able to go straight through from collection point to delivery site. However, after delivering the first loads safely, we proved this solution’s suitability.

In the weeks prior to commencement, we realised on our route survey that some of the European spec low loaders for the oversize loads ran too low to be suitable for transport on the island. Nor were they able to cross the Ardrishaig bridge. To get around this, we transloaded some of the oversize pieces in Rotterdam to trailers better suited before shipping to the UK. We worked further with the customer and supplier to reduce the dimensions of some pieces to enable safe crossing of the bridge and minimise risk.

However, another challenge arose when CalMac, struggling with the sheer number of vehicles making the crossing, revised our bookings from Port Askaig – 4.4 miles from the distillery – to Port Ellen – over 21 miles away! Fortunately, when on the island to survey the route from Port Askaig to Bunnahabhain, we had the foresight to travel back to Kennacraig via Port Ellen, so had actually travelled the new route. While it was far more complex, we knew what was involved.

We reworked the plan, changing the permits and liaising closely with the site manager. He involved the police to cordon off certain points, spoke with many of the locals to move parked cars and got local landowners to agree to take down a couple of stone walls! Despite the trip from Port Ellen taking many hours for each truck to complete, we delivered all cargo successfully.

It is fair to say we had to deal with a number of challenges critical to this project, yet we delivered all the cargo successfully, without damages and on time. We are very proud to have fulfilled this project to the satisfaction of the client after it being so long in the making, and it stands as a great example of what we can achieve regardless of the obstacles put in front of us.

As a result of the hard work on both sides, the project went on to win best Sustainable Development at the Scottish Green Energy Awards for its Biomass Energy Centre. Naturally, Hemisphere is very happy to be associated with this prestigious project.