Serco Northlink Ferries: Investors in People Silver Accreditation
20th June 2018
Serco NorthLink Ferries celebrates being the first ferry company in Scotland to achieve the prestigious Investors in People Silver Accreditation, the most successful framework for business improvement through people in the UK.
Stuart Garrett, Serco's Managing Director of NorthLink Ferries, joined the team at NorthLink Ferries' Stromness call centre to celebrate the achievement. Colleagues from the route network, in recognition of the joint effort taken to achieve the award, also joined them.
Stuart Garrett said: "I'm immensely proud that we are the first and only ferry company in Scotland to have achieved IIP Silver accreditation. The award came as a result of a great team effort by everyone at Serco NorthLink Ferries, and the team’s commitment to employees is one of the reasons why this is such a great place to work.
"I encourage other organisations to work with IIP to achieve accreditation. It takes dedication and hard work, but the benefits to your company in terms of business improvements and employee engagement are certainly worth the effort."
Serco has operated the Northern Isles service since July 2012 providing scheduled lifeline passenger and freight services to the Northern Isles. They employ 448 people across the Northern Isles and North East Scotland.
Serco has operated the Northern Isles service since July 2012 providing scheduled lifeline passenger and freight services to the Northern Isles.
Named as ‘Best Ferry’ at the Guardian and Observer Travel Awards 2016, NorthLink Ferries operate throughout the year with the MV Hamnavoe operating to Orkney on the Pentland Firth and MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey sailing to Orkney and Shetland from Aberdeen. MV Hildasay and MV Helliar provide regular timetabled freight services to both Shetland and Orkney. NorthLink Ferries has offices in Aberdeen, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Stromness and Scrabster.
The Hjaltland and Hrossey ferries sail every evening from Aberdeen and Lerwick in Shetland and have 117 en-suite cabins along with a range of contemporary eateries, bars and retail shops showcasing the very best of island produce. The MV Hamnavoe, again with an excellent array of services on-board, provides a swift and reliable 90 minute crossing of the Pentland Firth between Stromness in Orkney and the Caithness towns of Scrabster and Thurso.
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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.
