DETAILS of the next North-East involvement in the Tall Ships Race will be outlined tomorrow (Friday July 3).

Appropriately, dates for Sunderland’s staging of a leg of the annual maritime festival, in three years time, will be confirmed on board a visiting tall ship.

Since Sunderland was chosen as one of the host cities for the annual sailing celebration in 2018, last September, work has gone on behind the scenes in the early stages of planning for the sea-faring spectacle.

Sunderland City Council and partner organisations hope it proves as popular as previous regional participation, in Newcastle/Gateshead and, most recently, in Hartlepool, in 2010.

Appetite for the event is being whetted on Wearside with the arrival of the Stavros S Niarchos, at the start of a four-day visit to the Port of Sunderland today (Thursday July 2).

The two-masted brig sailed into the Wear, berthing at Corporation Quay, where members of the public will have a chance to run the rule, above and below deck, on Saturday (July 4).

First, however, senior council figures will step on board tomorrow (Friday) to make a special announcement about Sunderland’s role in the 2018 race.

City Mayor, councillor Barry Curran, will be joined by council cabinet member John Kelly in confirming dates and arrangements for the summer of 2018.

Coun Kelly said: “The council is working with others across the city, region and country to make the Tall Ships a truly great and memorable spectacle.

“Now, with this visit of Stavros, people can get an early idea and impression of what we can expect to see in three years time.”

He said the city can expect to host about 70 tall ships from across the world, berthing along the riverfront and in the port.

Tim Law, marketing and operations director from the Tall Ships Youth Trust, said the public were “more than welcome” to step aboard Stavros at Saturday’s open day.

“She is currently on a series of North Sea cruises.

“She’s always been a very popular sight and is a great crowd-puller.”

Admission, from 12-noon to 5pm, is free, but donations can be made to the trust.

Commissioned in 2000, Stavros is the largest brig to have been built in the UK in the last century.

She measures 197ft, or 59.4m, in length, with masts rising to nearly 150ft (45m).

Public access to the port is via the Low Street entrance, near the Fish Quay.

There is no parking within the port estate and only limited parking is available in Low Street.

Visitors are advised to use city centre car parks.