In the latter part of the 20th century, the waters around Shetland were at the centre of the North Sea oil industry. Now, as the transition to clean energy gathers pace and hundreds of platforms reach the end of their working life, those installations must be decommissioned.
It is anticipated that the UK decommissioning industry will spend around £15 billion dismantling offshore infrastrucutre in the 2020s.
The islands' geographic location and the well developed supply chains mean Shetland is well positioned to capitalise on the emerging opportunities.
Around 100 installations, 1,600 wells, 8km of pipelines and 70,000 tons of subsea structures will be decommissioned over the coming years.
Lerwick's natural deep water harbour makes the port an ideal location for a decommissioning hub and plans are already under way to extend the quayside available to support the industry.
Major decommissioning projects are already being undertaken in Lerwick. With significant investment that could total around £40 million, Shetland hopes to rival overseas yards to win more contracts over the next decade.
Discover more about Lerwick Harbour's deep water infrastructure.