The Orkney Islands Council approved the start of the acquisition process for the design and construction of the first three new ferries that will modernize its aging inter-island fleet.
The political leader of Orkney, Heather Woodbridge, praised the decision, calling it a major step forward in providing island residents with a “reliable and adequate” service. While acknowledging that there is “a lot of work ahead,” the move represents significant progress in a vital plan for the archipelago’s connectivity.
The approval was given during a special meeting of the Development and Infrastructure committee, where the initial specifications for the new vessels were detailed. The first phase of the project will focus on replacing the old ferries serving the Eday, Sanday, Stronsay and Westray routes.
The new ferries will be of monohull design and will reach 60 meters in length, 10 more than the Varagen, currently the largest vessel in the existing fleet. This extension translates into a notable increase in passenger capacity to 190 (compared to the current 140) and heavy vehicle capacity to 10 (compared to the current two).
A crucial feature of the new design is that the vessels will be fully accessible, a key commitment to improving service for all residents and visitors. The first phase project also considers the possible inclusion of a fourth similar vessel to replace the Hoy Head, which operates on the Hoy and Flotta routes.
The preliminary work of the project has been driven thanks to the consultancy of the Danish firm Knud E. Hansen and is part of a business plan advanced by the council. To carry out this planning, the Orkney Islands Council received a substantial portion of USD 4 million in funds from the Scottish government distributed a year ago.
Although the plan is moving “full steam ahead,” the main uncertainty remains the full funding of the ambitious project. The estimated cost for the complete replacement of the ferry fleet amounts to around USD 1,000 million, a sum that the Scottish government has not yet committed to covering in full, leaving the confirmation of the necessary economic support for the full execution of the plan pending.
