A stunning photo of a cargo ship silhouetted against the setting sun on the Mersey has won the British Ports Association’s inaugural photo competition.
A stunning photo of a cargo ship silhouetted against the setting sun on the Mersey has won the British Ports Association’s inaugural photo competition.
Over 800 photos were entered into the competition, which showcases the beauty of our coasts and communities that host our thriving maritime industries. The winning photo, titled ‘Key Workers’ was taken by Stephen Carrigan, a casino manager and an amateur photographer who lives in Litherland, near the Port of Liverpool. His shot shows a container ship off Crosby beach at the mouth of the Mersey. The vessel is the Katherine Borchard, a 134m, 868 TEU feeder ship.
From the 800 pictures submitted, 25 finalists were selected and put to a public vote. Stephen’s photo received over 1000 votes to win the contest, narrowly edging Darren Weadle’s night-time shot of the Tyne Bridge and Newcastle Gateshead’s famous quayside. Colm O Laoi’s photo of the Shivering Sands fort on the Thames Estuary took third place.
Reacting to the news, competition winner Stephen Carrigan said:
”I am blown away to have won. Key Workers was taken during the lockdown whilst walking my dog along the beach at Crosby, Liverpool. Apart from being a wonderful sunset I saw the importance of this vessel and the infrastructure involved in bringing vital supplies to the UK and the unsung hero’s behind the scenes. We owe a debt of gratitude to the country’s key workers, and in particular to the NHS. I am a casino manager by trade with a passion for all things maritime and 2020 was a strange year but I’m glad to be able to take something positive from the lockdown.”
Commenting on the competition, Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy & External Affairs at the British Ports Association, said:
”We were amazed at the quantity and the quality of the entrants and it was incredibly difficult to choose 25 finalists. There was a huge range of subjects ranging from marine wildlife to stunning scenery and of course plenty of impressive ships and ports of all shapes and sizes.
We have really enjoyed running the competition and are delighted with the winning entry – a dramatic shot of a vessel silhouetted against the setting sun in Liverpool. Congratulations to Stephen for his winning effort, and the very fitting title ‘Key Workers’. The team here are all looking forward to next year’s competition already.”
The BPA will hopefully have the opportunity this year to organise a physical exhibition of the finalists. Details will be announced if and when circumstances allow.