Also in the news / Vestas contract, Braer talk, jazz gig, postal service concern and more
PETERSON Energy Logistics has finally confirmed what already had become obvious when the first components for the 443MW Viking Energy wind farm arrived at the Greenhead Base in December last year.
The company has been awarded the logistics contract from turbine manufacturer Vestas to provide offloading, storage and transportation services for more than 1,000 wind turbine components from its facilities in Shetland.
The company is planning to recruit an additional ten staff to support the development.
Peterson’s managing director for Scotland Chris Coull said: “Peterson has a proven track record of executing large-scale infrastructure projects in Shetland, and our Greenhead Base facilities are ideally suited to support this exciting project.”
Peterson and Vestas have worked together in Shetland for more than 20 years with the logistics company supporting the Burradale wind farm with lifting services and transporting Vestas’ anchor cages for the Viking wind farm project in 2021.
SHETLAND Museum and Archives will be marking the 30th anniversary of the Braer disaster with a talk by author Jonathan Wills on Thursday next week (19 January).
Thirty years ago, Shetland News Agency reporters Jonathan Wills and Karen Warner wrote the ‘instant book’ on the grounding of the Braer. It took them a mere 18 days.
They accepted in good faith some statements by the shipowner that later proved questionable. As a result, some of the conclusions of their book Innocent Passage – the wreck of the tanker Braer were wrong.
More than seven years later, a cache of papers came to light that showed the Braer was probably technically unseaworthy when she left Norway. If so, her insurance would have been invalid.
Wills will offer insight as to why crucial evidence was kept secret and why important facts were ignored by the official British and Liberian inquiries.
The talk at the museum’s auditorium will kick off at 7pm. Tickets are £5 and can be bought here.
A MUCH anticipated jazz concert featuring trumpeter Chris Batchelor and tuba player Oren Marshall with local musicians Joy Duncan, Norman Goudie and Renzo Spiteri is taking place on Saturday.
The two artists will be hosting a workshop open to musicians of all genres the same afternoon starting at 2pm in the Lerwick Town Hall.
The events are staged by Shetland JAWS, the local jazz and world sound group led by Jeff Merrifield.
“If you are a musician, jazz, Scottish trad, classically trained, or any other genre, experienced player or beginner, this workshop will open up some of the wonders to be found in developing improvisation skills,” Merrifield said.
The evening gig, also in the town hall, kicks off at 7.30pm. Tickets are £20 for the workshop and £15 for the evening concert, and they can be paid for on the door.
When buying two or more concert tickets the workshop comes free. More information ca be found here.
HIGHLIGHTING in parliament the challenges faced by local businesses due to the unreliable postal delivery service, isles MP Alistair Carmichael has called on communications regulator Ofcom to use its powers to protect and enhance the universal postal service.
The Orkney and Shetland MP said: “The current parlous state of industrial relations within Royal Mail is felt acutely within the Northern Isles.
“For many businesses in my constituency, however, the option of moving their business from an unreliable Royal Mail service to a courier company is simply not open to them.
“These companies do not operate within the Northern Isles. That is why the universal service of the Royal Mail is particularly important.
“What is clear is that as a regulated business, Ofcom has powers at its disposal to protect the universal service. It is necessary surely that they come forward, and instead of entertaining talk from Royal Mail about how they reduce the universal service, they should be looking at how they use these powers to protect it.”
GARRY Mouat has been appointed as the new chairperson of Shetland Pride to oversee its second festival, which is due to be held on Saturday 1 July.
At the organisation’s first annual general meeting at the Staney Hill hall last Saturday Shetland Pride founder Kerrie Meyer stepped down from leading the group and is now the vice chair.
The well attended AGM saw several new appointments to the committee.
“A big thank you to everyone who attended, and may the success of Shetland Pride continue into 2023 and beyond,” Meyer said.
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