NorthLink Issues Warning to Travellers - Ferries Cancellations Due To Impending Severe Weather
19th December 2012
Severe Weather Due to Disrupt Services
Serco NorthLink has warned customers to expect unprecedented disruption to services as forecasts predict severe weather until Christmas Eve.
The ferry operator brought today’s southbound sailing from Lerwick forward to 1300hrs, with arrival in Kirkwall expected at 1800hrs. The MV Hjaltland is expected to arrive in Aberdeen at or after 0700hrs tomorrow morning, meaning a significantly longer journey for those on board.
Freight services have also been disrupted. Today’s southbound sailing has been cancelled and the northbound sailing will halt at Kirkwall.
Serco NorthLink expects a number of cancellations over the coming days and has warned customers not to plan travel on its routes between Aberdeen and the Northern Isles unless absolutely necessary. Less disruption is expected on the Pentland Firth crossing.
Stuart Garrett, Managing Director, said: “We understand this is disappointing news for people looking to travel for Christmas but our priority is the safety of our passengers and crew. We will be closely analysing forecasts every hour and keep customers updated.
“According to current forecasts we can foresee a number of disruptions and would advise people not to travel until after Christmas Day.
“People can check our website or follow us on twitter for regular updates – www.northlinkferries.co.uk or [AT]NLFerries.”
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from Saturday 27th January through to the evening of Monday 29th January. Information will follow as forecasts update.
Early disruption warning to customers Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from the evening of Sunday 21st January through to the evening of Tuesday 23rd January. More information will follow as forecasts update.
Serco NorthLink Ferries has officially opened its booking system for the full calendar year ahead - giving customers the opportunity to book forward travel up to the end of December 2024. Billy Robb, Customer Service Director for NorthLink Ferries, said, "We are pleased to be able to open our booking system up to December 2024, allowing people to book travel in spring, summer and beyond, both to and from Shetland and Orkney.
Serco NorthLink Ferries staff have raised over £4,800 in support of Clan, a charity supporting those affected by cancer across north-east Scotland. Staff on board and ashore - led by Kathryn Fullerton, Retail Supervisor on the MV Hjaltland - carried out fundraising activities over the course of last year to gather funds for the charity.
The lifeline ferry service between Stromness and Scrabster will cease operation completely for a fortnight this winter, NorthLink Ferries has confirmed. The route is to be shutdown from January 31 until February 13 while mv Hamnavoe goes into dry dock for maintenance.
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has again written to the Transport Minister Graeme Dey demanding Scottish Government address the urgent issues facing Scotland's Ferry Fleet. Following CalMac's announcement that it had been forced to amend timetables as the MV Hebrides was from the rotation for urgent repairs, it became clear that some communities were facing loss of their ferry service for days.
Serco NorthLink Ferries recorded more than 8,000 journeys during the start of 2021 as it continues to support essential travel. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, with NorthLink Ferries providing key worker, essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland.
Serco NorthLink Ferries is continuing to maintain vital transport links over the autumn and winter period - following the opening of its 2021 booking system at the start of October. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, and while passenger and car volumes are down significantly year-on-year they have shown further signs of strengthening over the last few months.
Four-legged friends can now travel with their owners between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland - thanks to new pet-friendly cabins on NorthLink Ferries passenger vessels MV Hamnavoe, MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey. Each ship has two pet-friendly cabins available which have en-suite facilities, side-by-side lower twin bunks and tea and coffee making facilities.
Serco NorthLink Ferries has been operating a revised service during Phase 1 and 2 of lockdown, which has provided travel for key workers as well as essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland. During the period 22 March to 30 June, passenger numbers across all routes were 6,010 in comparison to 112,416 over the same period in 2019, representing a reduction of 95 per cent.
