| Description | Tape 1 Side A ROBERT BARCLAY BRAITHWAITE born Glasgow 17 February 1948. Quaker background to family, attraction to way Quakers do business. Paternal family background in Dundee; family tea and coffee business which still operates. Recollections of times spent with grandmother. Maternal family from Glasgow; recollections of local community, now modernised. Grandfather's work in a store, war wounds. Details re siblings, parents, father's work with Clyde Navigation Trust (Clyde Port). Influence of Quaker approach to own business dealings. Likely politics of parents, own attitude. Recollection of encouragement by parents to work hard. Education at Busby Primary School, Glasgow, Hutchisons Boys Grammar School, Strathclyde University. Details of level of achievement, interest in sport, hill walking, rock climbing. Description of childhood home in Glasgow. Explanation of lifelong interest in civil engineering, man taming the forces of nature, designing and building structures. First employment with Rendel Palmer & Tritton, Civil Engineers (1969), Docks & Harbours Department.
Tape 1 Side B Explanation of independence of thought encouraged by Quaker influence. Importance of employment at Rendel Palmer & Tritton, Civil Engineers after time spent at university. Recollection of influence of senior partners, interest in practicalities of resolving problems, programming projects. Comparison with theoretical work. Explanation of complexities designing harbour in Libya, pre-testing for waves, designing breakwaters etc. Importance of remembering power of the elements. Background to move to Aberdeen as Deputy Harbour Engineer, Aberdeen Harbour Board (1974), need to further career. Personal details. First impression of Aberdeen, Aberdonians, oil industry. Recollection of limited state of harbour at the time, work on the 'Tidal Scheme', key personalities on Harbour Board, eg Roger Fleming. Change from fishing to oil orientation of Board members. Details re staff of Board, eg Norman Beattie, John Turner. Variation in attitudes of Aberdeen businesses, Harbour Board to the oil industry. Common view, ignorance of likely lifetime of oil industry in Aberdeen and elsewhere. Recognition then of possibility of competition for oil, early lease of land by Shell. Decision of BP to go to Dundee. First jobs leading to position as Deputy Harbour Engineer, later Harbour Engineer. Recollection of oil operators in Aberdeen, their activities. Relocation of Torry people because of Shell base establishment.
Tape 2 Side A Mixed attitude of Aberdonians to influx of oil people; effects on existing businesses through loss of staff, more expensive staff etc. Recollection of colourful Americans, number of outsiders. Details of links with oil operators, service companies as Harbour Engineer. Involvement with design of offshore cranes. Examples of pressure caused by sense of urgency. Description of work of Board, relationships with businesses, its financial situation. Involvement in spending money. Inability of some companies to provide necessary service at time of more difficult targets. Description of significant changes. Recollection of significant Aberdeen organisations involved in driving oil opportunities, reason for the industry coming to Aberdeen. Gradual realisation of opportunities. Critical decision re the tidal dock reconstruction; effects of this, other factors. Current attitude. Importance of marketing in Harbour Board activities, own eventual responsibility. Health and safety in the Board before and with oil industry. Growing size of cargoes going through port. Significance of oil-related work to Board; prospects, intentions for future of oil, the North East. Explanation of rise of work on general cargo, involvement with transport network in and out of region; current developments, plans. Effect of EEC on Aberdeen fishing fleet. Current state of Aberdeen as a fishing port. Attitude of Harbour Board to fishing industry before and now.
Tape 2 Side B Recollection of links between Harbour Board and fishing industry, their attitude to Board. Board view of role of fishing industry to Aberdeen; recent spending. Explanation of legal status of Board, its role as a commercial business, responsibility to local community. Concern that fishing industry pays its way; Board attitude. Recollection of problem handling changing times; operational headache of Harbourmaster, Brian Atkinson, with rebuilding programme continuing. Changing vessel activity statistics. Introduction of Navigation Control Centre. Details re engineering activities, reasons for need for design adaptations - example of changing depth of harbour. Influx of people from all over the world to see how to run an offshore support base. One-stop-shop provided by Wood Group, Seaforth Maritime etc. Aberdeen's development to largest offshore support harbour in Europe. Explanation of changes in Board staff numbers, approach followed; changing needs for towage/tugs. Attitude of staff; details re staff retention. Own way of coping with pressures, change. Explanation of weakening of fishing representation on Harbour Board, impact of changes to Board membership process; changes in interests of members to full focus on interests of harbour. Explanation of pressures on Board from oil industry, ways of dealing with them; attitude of Board. Explanation of changing cultures of oil companies, leasing of bases to companies. Attitude of BP, Shell. Recollection of oil companies that were not organised; 'bus runs' ferrying supplies offshore. Describes a ridiculous example.
Tape 3 Side A Recollection of inefficiency driven by speed, cost of holding up drilling etc. Impact of high price of oil. Current examination of efficiency, need to find new prcocedures. Impact of Piper Alpha disaster on Aberdeen. Opinion on changing safety standards in North Sea and elsewhere. Opinion re stand taken by OILC (Offshore Industry Liaison Committee), Cullen findings. Promotion to General Manager (1990). Explanation of changes; impact of abolition of National Dock Labour Scheme with its restrictive practices. Own approach to best way for Aberdeen Harbour to operate; comparison with other ports. Explanation of rationale for adoption of competitive basis to port operation. Attitude of predecessor. Significance of oil for Aberdeen, North East re employment, standard of living, likely effect in future if NE industries lock into oil activities elsewhere in the world. Importance of industry to UK. Recollection of oil industry campaign re oil tax. Impact of Offshore Supplies Office. Comments on linkage between Harbour Board, local and central government, Scottish, national involvement in investment in oil industry, building installations etc. Description of Harbour Board development activities, increased handling of subsea support vessels. Importance of early start, never letting go, enthusiasm for other companies to sell expertise around the world with Aberdeen as base.
Tape 3 Side B Recollection of early service companies, Wood Group Offshore, Seaforth Maritime, Aberdeen Service Company, bases leased by Harbour Board, use of common user quays. Change in culture of oil companies, freeing up, less secrecy, more sharing, use of service companies; impact on Harbour Board. Example of Team Marine consortium of oil companies; reason for consortium. Details of costs of running vessels. Involvement, tactics of Harbour Board in consortium, need for acts of faith in order to build business etc. Attitude of oil industry to flexibility etc. Importance of informal contacts with industry, keeping informed about industry developments. Explanation of reason for Harbour Board not having a marketing department - unusual in big business. Describes Aberdeen attitude to competition from Peterhead. Details re British Ports Association of which recent Chairman; Chairmanship of ports industry National Health & Safety Committee. Uniqueness of Aberdeen Harbour Board as Britain's oldest business etc. Explanation of understanding of historical commercial cycles in Aberdeen, own aims; possible future of Aberdeen in other energy areas, eg supplies for Falklands etc. Explanation of personal plans to stay in Aberdeen. Significance of harbour for Aberdeen, oil industry. End of interview.
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