Sullom Voe Terminal operators EnQuest have been confirmed as one of the major backers of next month's Tall Ships Races' visit to Lerwick as part of a final wave of sponsors.
The 2023 races get underway in the Netherlands on Thursday, leaving Den Helder bound for Hartlepool before sailing on to Fredrikstad in Norway and then arriving in Lerwick on Wednesday 26 July.
EnQuest is an "officer's deck" sponsor for the four-day event and is one of nearly 40 companies and organisations operating within the Shetland community to have pledged their support.
The energy transition company is joined in the final announcement of sponsors by the Co-operative and local businesses Ness Engineering and Frank L. Johnston (FLJ) Ltd.
Shetland Tall Ships Ltd project manager Emma Miller said the vast array of sponsors was a signal of the community-wide support the event commands.
“We are enormously grateful to all these companies and organisations, large and small, for their generosity,” she said.
“Both the financial support and in-kind services being offered are a crucial part of making an event of this scale viable in our peerie community.”
Sullom Voe Terminal operator EnQuest says its “existing operations servicing the oil and gas fields east and west of Shetland are uniquely positioned to act as a springboard for the group’s new energy ambitions”.
The company is focused on transforming the terminal’s existing infrastructure into “one of the largest green energy hubs in Europe”.
EnQuest is seeking to leverage the existing infrastructure at the terminal to unlock new infrastructure potential and develop renewable energy and decarbonisation opportunities.
Company spokeswoman, Janet Mullins said: “As operator of the Sullom Voe Terminal and on behalf of our fellow SVT owners, EnQuest is delighted to be a sponsor of the 2023 Tall Ships Races in Shetland.”
Also on board is Ness Engineering, an electrical, mechanical and building services contractor with over 35 years of industry experience, which will be providing and maintaining welfare facilities for Tall Ships, including public toilets and showers for ships’ crews.
The company’s contracts manager Neil Graham said: “Ness’s team of experienced engineers will be on hand to keep it all running smoothly throughout the festivities.
“Ness Engineering are happy to be supporting the Tall Ships event, a celebration showcasing all Shetland has to offer to an international audience.”
The Cooperative, which employs over 60 workers across its two supermarkets in Lerwick and Brae, is also sponsoring next month’s event.
Its new Lerwick store manager Bob Henderson said: “The Co-op is really proud to be supporting the Tall Ships when it arrives in Lerwick in July.
“Supporting the event is key to our community values as this event will have great impact locally and will bring many visitors to the islands.
“We have been proud to serve the community over the years and look forward to continuing to do so in the future.”
Completing the broad line-up of sponsors is Tingwall-based multi-skilled contractor FLJ, which specialises in water infrastructure.
James Morris of FLJ said the company “recently celebrated our 50th anniversary of service, making us one of the oldest continuous businesses in Shetland”.
“Having been involved in key Lerwick Port Authority projects during the past half century, we are extremely proud to support such a beneficial community event,” he added.
