23-525: MV Hamnavoe is a car and passenger ferry, built in 2002 and operated by NorthLink Ferries across the Pentland Firth from the mainland of Scotland to the Orkney Islands . The ship, with a length of 112 m (367 ft) and beam 18.5 m (61 ft), measures 8,780 GT . Hamnavoe has a capacity for 600 passengers and 68 cars. Facilities include passenger lounges and bars,
46-591: A new contract was secured. On 19 July 2005, the Scottish Executive announced that three companies - V-Ships , Irish Continental Ferries and Caledonian MacBrayne - had bid to provide ferry services to the Northern Isles. Irish Continental, however, withdrew its bid in October 2005, leaving two potential operators on the closing date of 1 December 2005. Both of the remaining bids complied with
69-659: A regional transport strategy and delivery plan. Some RTPs also provide transport services, like the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport which operates the Glasgow Subway and major bus stations. Transport Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish government that conducts transport projects, manages ScotRail , and also maintains all motorways and major A-class roads in Scotland. The agency
92-485: A self-service restaurant, a children's playroom, a sun deck and a games room. There are 16 passenger cabins with two or four berths, which are all en suite. There are two specially adapted cabins for the disabled and wheelchair access throughout the ship. Hamnavoe is powered by twin MaK 9M32C diesels, totalling 8,680 kW (11,640 bhp) and resulting in a service speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Hamnavoe
115-528: Is made up of eight directorates: Transport Scotland has a responsibility to improve the sustainability and accessibility of local transport options including getting people back using bus transport. It has a role in promoting walking, cycling and public transport. Through Scottish Rail Holdings , its operator of last resort , Transport Scotland has taken ScotRail and the Caledonian Sleeper back into public ownership. Transport contributes to
138-545: Is the first ferry to have been specifically built for the Pentland Firth route, and was given the old Norse name for Stromness , meaning 'Home Port' or 'Safe Haven'. The ship was originally ordered in October 2000 from Ferguson Shipbuilders at Port Glasgow but Fergusons withdrew from the contract only two months later due to design arrangements and production scheduling. The construction was re-allocated to Aker Finnyards at Rauma, Finland which had already been awarded contracts for two larger ferries for NorthLink. The ship
161-542: Is to minimise the effects of congestion, breakdowns and unforeseen events on the trunk road network. The Traffic Scotland service delivers traveller information for the Scottish Trunk Road network through a process called 'monitor, control and inform'. In November 2016 Traffic Scotland introduced a real-time service to allow drivers to track which roads had been gritted through the 'Trunk Road Gritter Tracker'. The role of Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs)
184-493: Is to strengthen the planning and delivery of regional transport developments, with the first task of each RTP being to prepare a regional transport strategy. This is supported by a delivery plan where RTPs set out when and how projects and proposals will be delivered. Some RTPs are also responsible for the delivery of transport services. For example, the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport owns and operates
207-879: The 18-hour trip from Bergen to Aberdeen. On returning to her usual route, Hamnavoe made an unscheduled trip from Aberdeen to Stromness in Orkney carrying passengers. NorthLink Ferries NorthLink Ferries (also referred to as Serco NorthLink Ferries ) is an operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, as well as ferry services, between mainland Scotland and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland . Since July 2012, it has been operated by international services company Serco . The subsidised Northern Isles ferry services, previously run by P&O Scottish Ferries , were put out to tender in 1999. A joint venture between Caledonian MacBrayne and The Royal Bank of Scotland , named NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries , won
230-595: The Aberdeen route have onboard cinemas and occasional live entertainment. Transport Scotland Transport Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic : Còmhdhail Alba ) is the national transport agency of Scotland . It was established by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005, and began operating on 1 January 2006 as an executive agency of the Scottish Government . Transport Scotland, an executive agency of
253-669: The Scottish Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands , announced that NorthLink's contract would be re-awarded by the end of March. NorthLink operates two passenger routes: Currently the NorthLink fleet consists of: Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland purchased all of the ferries used by Northlink during the 2018-19 financial year. They will be managed by Scottish Government corporation Caledonian Maritime Assets . Former fleet consists of: Ferries on
SECTION 10
#1732772393996276-640: The Scottish Government Climate Change plan (updated in December 2020). A second National Transport Strategy for Scotland was published in February 2020. The vision for the next 20 years is underpinned by four priorities: reducing inequalities, taking climate action, helping deliver inclusive economic growth and improving health and well-being. There are three associated outcomes for each priority. The focus of Traffic Scotland
299-561: The Scottish government, manages transport projects, ScotRail , and all motorways and major A-class roads in Scotland. The agency is organised into eight directorates, including Aviation , Maritime , Freight and Canals ; Bus , Accessibility & Active Travel ; and Rail . Transport Scotland also contributes to the Scottish Government's Climate Change plan. Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) help plan and deliver regional transport developments, with each RTP preparing
322-549: The company indicated that it would be unlikely to complete the contract due to its ongoing financial difficulties. NorthLink defaulted on its lease payments for the vessels in July and August 2003, and in April 2004 the then Scottish Executive announced that the service would be re-tendered due to NorthLink's inability to fulfil the terms of its contract. The company continued to operate under interim arrangements until April 2006 while
345-707: The contract and began operation in October 2002. A variety of factors, including competition from rival operator Pentland Ferries , the Norse Island Ferries group created by local hauliers concerned about NorthLink's proposed freight pricing, and higher-than-expected operation costs, all contributed to financial difficulties within the company. In response, the Scottish Executive Transport Group (now Transport Scotland ) made additional subsidy payments of £0.6 million and agreed to restructure subsidy payment timing. In mid-2003
368-442: The contract requirements, but Caledonian MacBrayne's lower bid meant that it was awarded the contract. Caledonian MacBrayne formed a company named NorthLink Ferries Limited , which adopted the branding and vessels of its predecessor, and began operating the Northern Isles ferry services on 6 July 2006. The Northern Isles ferry service was re-tendered in 2011/12 as NorthLink Ferries Limited's contract came to an end. Initially,
391-579: The contract's two services (Aberdeen-Lerwick and Scrabster-Stromness) were to be de-bundled. Eligible bids for the services were received from Pentland Ferries (which expressed interest in the Scrabster-Stromness service only), Sea-Cargo A/S (which expressed interest in the Aberdeen-Lerwick service only), P&O Ferries , Shetland Line (1984) Limited (part of local haulage and freight company Streamline Shipping Group), Serco , and
414-567: The incumbent NorthLink Ferries Limited. The Scottish Government subsequently re-bundled the routes, when insufficient interest was shown in the separate routes. On 4 May 2012, Transport Scotland announced that Serco was the preferred bidder. This decision was legally challenged in the Court of Session by rival bidder Shetland Line (1984) Limited on the basis that the Scottish Government had allegedly not taken into account that they had scored higher than Serco for their proposed service - suspending
437-512: The remainder of 2012, and that it planned to "overhaul catering, seating and onboard entertainment" in future. In the spring of 2013 NorthLink rebranded and launched new on board services such as "sleep pod" reclining seats and a premium lounge. The contract was due to end in 2018, but Serco received an 18-month extension. Arguments have been put forward by the RMT union to bring the service into public ownership. In February 2020, Paul Wheelhouse ,
460-498: The securement of the contract. On 29 May 2012 however, the court overturned the suspension and Serco was confirmed as the new operator, ending Caledonian MacBrayne's 10 year involvement with Northern Isles ferry services. The contract lasts for a period of six years and is worth £243m. Serco, using the vessels and branding of its predecessor, began operation of Northern Isles ferry services at 15:00 on 5 July 2012. It stated that it planned to make no changes to fares or timetables for
483-568: The tallest vertical cliff face in Britain, St Johns Head. New piers and walkways have been built at Scrabster and Stromness specifically for Hamnavoe , and fitted with lifts to accommodate disabled passengers. In April 2010 as the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland closed much of Europe's airspace, Hamnavoe was taken off her normal route for three days and sent to Bergen in Norway to rescue stranded British residents. More than 150 passengers took
SECTION 20
#1732772393996506-623: Was introduced on the Pentland Firth lifeline ferry service between Scrabster in Caithness and Stromness in Orkney in 2003. The voyage takes approximately 90 minutes and is made up to six times a day. Overnight accommodation is available on board in Stromness for passengers travelling on the 6:30 a.m. sailing. The route gives a superb view of the spectacular sea stack the Old Man of Hoy , and
529-680: Was the third vessel in Aker's build sequence, after MV Hjaltland and the MV ; Hrossey , and was completed in October 2002. However, due to delays in the building of the new pier in Scrabster , Hamnavoe was laid up in Leith . Since 2003 the formal ownership of Hamnavoe has changed in line with changes in the operator of NorthLink. Since 2018 the ferry has been registered to Caledonian Marine Assets Limited, and operated by Serco . Hamnavoe
#995004