In 2023 ASPC held a photography competition, open to members of the public. We were so impressed by the number and quality of entries that we held another competition in 2024.

The response, again, was so good we repeated for a third year – 2025.

Each year we choose twelve “winners” to feature, one per month, as the background for our public website front page. In addition each “winner” receives a modest gift.

Our September winner – Dave Lynch - has captured a colourful and interesting image of oil service vessels in Aberdeen Harbour. The view, for a committed landlubber like me, is an unusual one. The low level view, perhaps taken from water level, enhances the scale of the vessels. Compare the size of the HGV in the bottom left foreground, with the superstructure of the blue vessel, to see just how large these vessels are. At sea, however, the immensity of the ocean and the sky can render them seemingly insignificant.

These vessels range from the relative simplicity of quotidian supply vessels to hugely complex and sophisticated vessels for a wide range of activities involved in the energy industry. One of the fringe benefits of the energy industry is the range of vessels, heretofore never seen, that have visited our shores in furtherance of the race for oil and gas.

With the advent of windfarms off our coastline, the diversity of shipping seen in our waters, continues to grow.

The increase in harbour traffic from the energy related industries has been another example of the economic boost given to our area.

If you’re interested in learning more about each one of our images as part of our photography competition, then why not take a look at one of our previous submissions, here.