Noise complaint silences Cromarty Firth cruise ship horns

Cruise ship crews have been asked not to sound their ships' horns as they leave a Highland firth after a noise complaint.

Boats had traditionally made the signal departing the Cromarty Firth, near the communities of Cromarty and Nigg.

Port of Cromarty Firth said the request to remain silent had followed a complaint, but it has sought views on the future of the practice.

About 1,200 people have signed a petition backing the horn blasts.

Toria Anderson, who lives in Cromarty and started the petition, said many people looked forward to the area's cruise ship season.

She said: "Some have a musical horn and a funky tune. It is a signal to say 'hello' or 'goodbye'."

The port authority said it would discuss feedback on the farewell tradition at a meeting with nine local community councils on 29 June.

A spokesman said: "If people feel strongly for or against the ships' farewell horn blasts, we urge them to share their feedback with their local community council or directly with the port before the 29 June, so that this can be taken into account.

"The ships continue to sound their horns as they leave Invergordon and, if the communities of Cromarty and Nigg feel strongly about them sounding their horns as they leave the firth, we will respect the wishes they express and advise the cruise ship operators accordingly."

Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth has been a cruise ship destination since 1978.

Last year, a record number of 109 cruise vessels visited Invergordon, though passenger numbers were lower than previous years due to the impact of the Covid pandemic.

In 2019, during the last full season before the pandemic, 166,000 tourists and 69,000 crew arrived at the port.