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MV Hjaltland

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MV Hjaltland in Aberdeen, 2015
History
United Kingdom
NameMV Hjaltland
NamesakeOld Norse name for Shetland[1]
Owner
  • 2002-2004: NorthLink Orkney & Shetland Ferries Limited
  • 2004-2012: RBS - RBSSAF (20) Limited
  • 2012-2018: previous owner renamed Northern Isles Ferries Limited
  • from 2018-present Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
OperatorNorthLink Ferries
Port of registryLerwick, United Kingdom
RouteAberdeen to Lerwick via Kirkwall
BuilderAker Finnyards in Rauma, Finland
Cost£35 million
Yard numberNB438
Laid down4 October 2001
Launched8 March 2002
In service1 October 2002[1]
Identification
Statusin service
General characteristics
Class and type+100 A 1, Ro-Ro Cargo/Passenger Ferry + LMC, UMS, LI, NAV1[4]
Tonnage
  • 11,720 GT;
  • 1,831 t DWT
Displacement7,434 tonnes
Length125 m (410 ft)[1]
Beam20 m (66 ft)
Draught5.4 m (18 ft)
Decks8
Installed power4 x MAK 6M43 5400 kW each
Propulsion2 controllable pitch propellers and 2 bow thrusters
Speed24 kn (44 km/h)
Capacity
  • 600 passengers (117 cabins);
  • 140 cars (650m)[1]
Crew33

MV Hjaltland is a NorthLink Ferries vehicle and passenger ferry based in Aberdeen. She operates the daily service from mainland Scotland to Orkney and Shetland.

History

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MV Hjaltland and her sister ship, MV Hrossey, were constructed in 2002 at Aker Finnyards in Finland.[1]

Layout

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MV Hjaltland carries passengers, cars, freight and livestock. There are a choice of restaurants, bars and lounges, children's play area and a cinema. The restaurants and lounges have a total seating capacity of 600. The original 100 cabins had a total of 300 beds.[5] All cabins are en-suite, most being two berth, with a number of four-berth cabins for families.[6] In April 2007, an additional accommodation module was fitted in Birkenhead, increasing her capacity to 356 berths.[7] The ship is fitted with lifts and was built to accommodate disabled passengers throughout. There are 10 officer and 28 crew cabins.

Each pair of diesel engines drives a controllable-pitch propeller through a gearbox. There are two rudders, two 900 kW bow thrusters and two Mitsubishi stabilisers.[1][4]

Service

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MV Hjaltland operates between Lerwick and Aberdeen, with a call at Kirkwall on some days. A walkway, built specifically for the current vessels, can take both foot and car passengers. She is also able to relieve on the Stromness to Scrabster crossing.

Incidents and accidents

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In August 2012, a man died after falling overboard into the North Sea about 20 miles (30 kilometres) north of Fraserburgh.[8]

On 23 August 2013, MV Hjaltland was diverted from its normal route to assist with search and rescue efforts following the crash of a Super Puma helicopter 2 mi (3 km) off the Shetland coast close to Sumburgh.[9] The ferry was later used to transport the bodies of three of the crash victims to Aberdeen.[10]

On 9 September 2013, a passenger went missing from the ship during a sailing from Lerwick to Aberdeen. No body was recovered despite a major air and sea search.[11][12]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Hjaltland (IMO: 9244958)". Vessel Tracker. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Hjaltland". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Passenger Ro-Ro Ferries for NorthLink". STX Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  4. ^ "Hjaltland". STX Europe. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  5. ^ "Travel to, from and around the isles". The Shetland Times. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  6. ^ "Hjaltland at Birkenhead". Irish Sea Shipping. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "Man dies after fall from Northern Isles ferry Hjaltland". BBC News. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Helicopter Crashes Into Sea Off Shetland". Sky News. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Bodies of oil workers who died in North Sea helicopter crash returned to mainland". Telegraph. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  10. ^ Search for passenger, 22, overboard from Hjaltland stood down https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-24014383
  11. ^ "Grieving Saltcoats mum devastated after memorial bench vandalised". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.
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