With only 275 days until The Tall Ships sail into Aberdeen, local residents are being urged to get ready, get excited and get involved.
Applications are now open for both volunteers and sail trainees to be part of Aberdeen’s biggest event for a generation.
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 returns to the city for the first time in nearly 30 years from 19-22 July 2025. It is Europe’s largest free family event and is expected to draw 50 Tall Ships from across the globe as well as attract 400,000 visits to the city.
Young people between 15 and 25 years old living in an AB postcode can apply to be part of a Tall Ship crew, and anyone over 16 can sign up to take up a range of volunteer roles during the event.
More than 1,500 people have already registered interest through The Tall Ships Aberdeen website and today (Thursday) representatives from the organising partners - Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Inspired and Port of Aberdeen - gathered around The Tall Ships Countdown Clock at the city’s train station as they announced the application process is now open.
Adventure of a lifetime
The world-renowned, sailing extravaganza is offering the adventure of a lifetime for young local people to be recruited as sail trainees. They will get the chance to sail aboard a Tall Ship from Dunkirk, France to Aberdeen, or from Aberdeen to Kristiansand, Norway.
No prior sailing experience is required and the opportunity is designed to be inclusive, diverse and accessible. There are at least 100 funded places available, as well as the option of self-funding.
Youth Ambassador Vaila Wright – who was at the launch - took part in this year’s Tall Ships Races sailing from Tallinn in Estonia to Turku, Finland.
“It was an amazing opportunity for me and I’d encourage young people to take part in The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025,” said the 21-year-old student. “Sail training was a life-changing experience for me. You see new places and make unforgettable memories – and you get to have so much fun along the way.”
Twenty-four-year-old Hazel Hunter also took part in The Tall Ships Races in the summer.
“I enjoyed it so much I ended up taking annual leave to stay on through three different ports,” she said. “It was a really fantastic experience and it's given me a great perspective on what the event is like for trainees.”
Young people who want to apply can do it online here.
Call for volunteers
Volunteers are essential to delivering a successful festival and giving the international crews a warm Aberdeen welcome.
The city’s harbour will transform from an energy hub into a world-class event space which will offer a whole range of opportunities from ship liaison officers to transport co-ordinators and visitor experience hosts.
Tall Ships Project Manager Emma Wadee said: “Not only is it the chance to do something a little bit different, meeting people and making new friends, it offers the opportunity to be part of something big.
“It’s the largest event to come to the city in a generation and will show off Aberdeen to an international audience. We hope that citizens will sign up to show their pride in their city, its maritime heritage and everything it has to offer visitors. They will be the welcoming friendly face of Aberdeen.”
Applications are open to people aged 16 or older by 1 July 2025 who are available for a minimum of three shifts between 19 and 22 July.
Individuals who want to volunteer can apply online here.
The process
A programme of public engagement is planned around the city and shire to let people know about The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 and encourage them to apply to be part of it.
Applications close for both volunteers and trainees at the end of January 2025, after which the selection and training process will begin.
The four-day festival begins on 19 July with the fleet’s arrival and opening ceremony. The city centre will buzz with more than 1,500 sailors joining the international crew parade the next day, featuring live music, dance, and theatre.
Throughout the festival, visitors can board the magnificent Tall Ships and enjoy free family entertainment. The big stage programme will include a diverse mix of local and Scottish talent, from sea shanties and choirs to street performers, maritime themed exhibitions, artists, crew and navy bands, and visiting headline acts.
The ships depart for Kristiansand, Norway, on 22 July, with a parade of sail along the beach esplanade offering a memorable farewell.
Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council, said: “Hosting The Tall Ships Race is a great opportunity for everyone in Aberdeen to celebrate our maritime heritage. The event will bring together people of all ages and backgrounds in an amazing festival of the sea. It will be a truly international experience that will make a huge impact for the good on the city and region.
Bob Sanguinetti, CEO, Port of Aberdeen, said: “As the host location for The Tall Ships Races, we’re gearing up to provide a spectacular backdrop and world-class facilities for this historic event. It’s a privilege to showcase the capabilities of Port of Aberdeen and contribute to this massive opportunity for the city and its people.”
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “Opening the applications for sail trainees and volunteers is a pivotal – and very exciting – moment for the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen. This is the chance for people across the city to answer the call to ‘get involved’ in what will be a once-in-generation experience here in the Granite City.
“Whether it is signing up for a life-changing role as a sail trainee or taking the opportunity to roll up their sleeves as a volunteer to ensure the Tall Ships Races is the best it can be, I am confident a legion of North-east people will flock to support this world-class event on our own doorstep.
“Now is the time for everyone to shine – from ordinary folk to the city’s business community – in creating an unforgettable week that will leave a lasting legacy for Aberdeen’s reputation and economy.”
- Pictured at the Countdown Clock are: from left, Aberdeen Inspired CEO Adrian Watson, Tall Ships Youth Ambassador Hazel Hunter, Tall Ships project manager Emma Wadee, Youth Ambassador Vaila Wright and Port of Aberdeen CEO Bob Sanguinetti
