NorthLink has added extra ferry crossings to Orkney while the MV Pentalina remains out of service after running aground.
Pentland Ferries crossings remain suspended until at least Monday, May 22 following the emergency last month.
The disruption caused capacity concerns in Orkney with the loss of eight daily sailings from St Margaret’s Hope to the mainland at Gills Bay once the summer timetable began.
However, NorthLink has now added an extra return crossing to its own route from Scrabster to Stromness to add extra space three days a week.
Extra ferry capacity for upcoming Orkney festivals
The extra NorthLink late-night crossings between Scrabster and Stromness will start from today and run Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays until June 30.
The service is in addition to additional 11am and 1.15pm slots already added for Sundays.
The extra Sunday crossing means NorthLink Ferries has had to cancel its planned Orkney Nature Festival cruise around Hoy on May 14.
However, it is hoped the additional services will help more people get to the islands for other forthcoming summer events.
Stuart Garrett, Serco’s managing director for NorthLink, said: “We hope these additional sailings help maintain access between Orkney and the mainland, particularly as residents and visitors alike look forward to the much anticipated Orkney Folk Festival at the end of this month and the St Magnus Festival in June.
“We want to reassure the community that we are in close contact with the Scottish Government and will continue to assess how we can best support travel on this route.”
Transport Minister Kevin Stewart added: “I very much welcome NorthLink increasing their sailings across the Pentland Firth to meet demand during a challenging time for Orkney’s communities and businesses.
“NorthLink have been proactively assessing capacity up to this point and they have assured me they will continue to review on-going demand for the remainder of the month and into June.”
New Scrabster – Stromness NorthLink timetable
- Stromness to Scrabster: 6.30am, 11am, 4.45pm, 9.15pm (Monday, Friday, Saturday only)
- Scrabster to Stromness: 8.45am, 1.15pm, 7pm, 11.30pm (Monday, Friday, Saturday only)
What happened to MV Pentalina?
The MV Pentalina was taken out of service after it ran aground on April 29 just minutes from arriving in Orkney.
Emergency services rescued 60 people from the vessel, but no serious injuries were reported.
Coastguard and Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigations have been launched to examine the cause of the incident.
It has been reported the ferry suffered a “sudden mechanical failure” during the voyage.
There have also been reports of a small fire with some water also getting inside.
Pentland Ferries has stressed it is contacting passengers with bookings while it works to minimise disruption.
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