NorthLink adds extra Sunday sailing on Hamnavoe after grounding of Pentalina
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NorthLink is adding an extra return crossing of the Pentland Firth to its Sunday timetable to help fill the gap left by the Pentalina after it ran aground in Orkney.
The extended timetable for the Hamnavoe on the 90-minute Scrabster/Stromness route is currently being offered until June 25.
Rival firm Pentland Ferries' services between Gills and St Margaret’s Hope are cancelled until further notice.
NorthLink says the extra return crossing "is intended to help support residents and visitors whose travel plans have been affected by the suspension of Pentland Ferries' sailings".
From this Sunday (May 7) the Hamnavoe Sunday service will move to a revised timetable.
Stromness to Scrabster sailings will run at 06:30, 11:00 and 16:45.
Scrabster to Stromness sailings will be 08:45, 13:15 and 19:00.
Stuart Garrett, Serco’s managing director for NorthLink Ferries, said: “We hope the additional round trip we’ve introduced will help those whose travel plans have been affected to reach their destination safely.
"We are in close contact with the local community and Scottish Government and will continue discussions around how we can support travel on this route."
He added: “Regrettably, adding this additional resilience does mean that we’ve no choice but to cancel the Orkney Nature Festival cruise around Hoy, which was scheduled to take place on May 14."
The Pentalina ran ashore close to St Margaret’s Hope on April 29, just three days after resuming service on the route as its replacement, Alfred, started a nine-month charter with CalMac. Investigations into the incident are under way.
The vessel had 60 passengers on board at the time. Nobody was injured.
The Pentalina was issued with a safety certificate following surveys on April 18 and returned to the Pentland Firth after the Alfred had been loaned to CalMac in a £9 million deal to serve the Clyde and Hebrides network.
