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NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd
Caledonian MacBrayne

Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast....
, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Ministers.

hLink Ferries operates two routes:

ently the NorthLink fleet consists of:

Ferries on the Aberdeen route have onboard cinemas and occasional live entertainment.

subsidised Northern Isles
Northern Isles

The Northern Isles are a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland.The group includes Shetland, Fair Isle and Orkney. Sometimes Stroma, Scotland is included, which is part of Caithness, and so falls under Highland Council areas of Scotland for Local government in Scotland purposes, not Orkney....
 ferry services, previously run by P&O Scottish Ferries
P&O Scottish Ferries

P&O Scottish Ferries ran ferry services between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland. P&O took over the routes from the long-established North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Co....
 were put out to tender in 1999.






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NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd
Caledonian MacBrayne

Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast....
, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Ministers.

Services

NorthLink Ferries operates two routes:
  • Scrabster to Stromness
    Stromness

    Stromness /'str?mn?s/ is the second-largest town in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, and is located in the south-west of the Mainland, Orkney of Orkney....
    , Orkney (90 minutes)
  • Aberdeen
    Aberdeen

    Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous City status in the United Kingdom and one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
     to Lerwick
    Lerwick

    Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 100 miles off the north coast of mainland Great Britain on the east coast of the Shetland Mainland....
    , Shetland (12 hours 30 minutes northbound; 12 hours southbound). Some services also call at Kirkwall
    Kirkwall

    Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046....
    , Orkney, which increases the journey time by 2 hours.


Fleet

Currently the NorthLink fleet consists of:
  • MV Hamnavoe
    MV Hamnavoe

    Northlink Ferries' car and passenger ferry, MV Hamnavoe operates across the Pentland Firth to Orkney....
    , on the Scrabster route, 112m long
  • MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey, sister ships, on the Aberdeen
    Aberdeen

    Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous City status in the United Kingdom and one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
     route, 125m long
  • MV Hascosay, used for freight and livestock to Orkney and Shetland, sailing from Aberdeen


Ferries on the Aberdeen route have onboard cinemas and occasional live entertainment.

History

The subsidised Northern Isles
Northern Isles

The Northern Isles are a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland.The group includes Shetland, Fair Isle and Orkney. Sometimes Stroma, Scotland is included, which is part of Caithness, and so falls under Highland Council areas of Scotland for Local government in Scotland purposes, not Orkney....
 ferry services, previously run by P&O Scottish Ferries
P&O Scottish Ferries

P&O Scottish Ferries ran ferry services between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland. P&O took over the routes from the long-established North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Co....
 were put out to tender in 1999. A joint venture between Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne

Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast....
 and the Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a majority part-nationalised British people banking and insurance holding company in which HM Treasury holds an 74% controlling shareholding, through the UK Financial Investments Limited....
 named Northlink Orkney and Shetland Ferries won the service from 2002. Its ambitious plans ran into difficulties, and the service was re-tendered while Northlink ran under interim arrangements. By the closing date, bids were received from V-Ships UK Ltd, and from Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne

Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast....
, which put in the lower bid and won the tender. Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne

Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast....
 formed a company named NorthLink Ferries Limited which began operating the Northern Isles ferry services on 6 July 2006.

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