Pentland Ferries
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Pentland Ferries operate a daily ferry service between Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland about 3mls West of John o' Groats, and St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney. This route, known as The Short Sea Crossing, is generally considered to be the quickest and safest route across the Pentland Firth, taking about 1 hour.
The company currently has two vessels although only one operates on the route at any time.
- The MV Pentalina B operates in the summer months.
- The MV Claymore operates in the winter months.
Both are due for replacement by a new catamaran ferry, at present under construction, for the summer season 2008.
Due to the short sailing time there is no cabin accommodation, however a cafeteria is available for meals and refreshments.
Pentland Ferries is a privately owned company which has operated this route since the summer of 2001. It is one of only two Scottish ferry companies that receive no subsidy or other financial assistance. Described as ‘Cheap and Cheerful’ although ‘Inexpensive and Friendly’ is possibly a better description, their aim being to provide a simple and competitive crossing where one can turn up and pay by cash or cheque onboard. Advance booking, where one can pay by card, is advisable, particularly in the busy summer season. While not being designated the ‘Lifeline’ service it carries some 80% of the livestock, Dangerous Goods Cargoes, including aviation fuel.
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[edit] Company history
The company was started by its present managing director, Andrew Banks, a local entrepreneur. The son of an Orkney farmer, he left the land initially for the fish farming industry which was starting at that time. Realizing he could ship in his fish food from the mainland cheaper by himself because of the high ferry freight rates he purchased and operated his own vessel, the Pentalina, for this purpose. Later, feeling the time was right to get out of fish farming, he saw a market in operating a ferry service to Orkney. In 1997 he purchased the ex Caledonian MacBrayne ferry M.V. Iona, the first drive-through MacBrayne ferry with both bow and stern doors. This was renamed Pentalina B, the name Pentalina being still registered to the previous vessel which had been sold. An attempt was made to start a service between the Cromarty Firth at Invergordon and Orkney but being unable to generate enough freight, or get a subsidy, the service was abandoned after a week and the vessel laid up.
Feeling the short sea route had potential, even although it had been tried and abandoned by Orkney Island Council in 1989, he obtained, after protracted negotiations, a 99 year lease on the Gills Bay terminal. After some two years work improving the site (see Wikipedia Gills Bay) the recently formed Pentland Ferries vessel Pentalina B started the service in June 2001 sailing to ‘The Hope’.
The M.V.Claymore, another ex Cal-Mac vessel, was purchased in 2002 from Sea Containers who had operating it, unsuccessfully, on the Campbeltown to Ballycastle run. After another attempt at starting up the Orkney to Invergordon route fell through the vessel was put to work during the winter season in place of the Pentalina B.
[edit] Present operations
For the last few years the Pentalins B has worked during the summer months and the Claymore the winter. Both vessels can carry around 50 cars, or 4 – 5 articulated lorries and fewer cars. Being drive through the Pentalina is used in the busier summer season as loading and off loading are quicker, especially with caravans which would need turned round on the Claymore. Unfortunately due to classification regulations the Pentalina is limited to 12 passengers if sailing after dark and during the winter months, hence the use of the Claymore over the winter period. Having two vessels to maintain etc while only one is working is obviously a drain on the company's resources, however this year (2006) both vessels have been chartered out in their off season to carry livestock across the channel from Dover. What their future is when the new catamaran takes over the service is not clear, the Pentalina is near the end of her working life while there has been talk of the Claymore returning to Ballycastle, possibly with Pentland Ferries or another operator.
The company is probably unique in having to finance and carry out its own improvements at the Gills Bay terminal. Improvements at St Margaret's Hope are through the local harbour trust to which harbour dues are paid but which give the company less control over what can be done there.
In addition to the usual tractor units and tugs for moving trailers and other cargo equipment there are a number of pieces of construction and earth-moving equipment not usually required by a ferry company. The fleet also includes a barge used for dredging at Gills in the summer and an extension to the pier at The Hope in the winter. Also an ex fishing boat to tow the barge and a tug / workboat for general duties.
[edit] Future prospects
The introduction of the new catamaran ferry will greatly improve passenger comfort, reduce the crossing time and improve reliability having been designed for the route. It will have a capacity of 250 passengers and either 32 cars and 8 articulated lorries or an increased number of cars, with a service speed of 18kts.
Talks continue (2006) over gaining access to the Burwick terminal on South Ronaldsay from which the new ferry could operate. This would cut the crossing to about 30mins which could see a more frequent service with reduced fares. Due to its exposed location to westerly weather Burwick would probably be used only during the summer months.
There have been talks in the past about a linkspan being installed at Wick. The old linkspan from Scrabster is lying there and has been offered to the harbour for a nominal sum by Andrew Banks who owns it. Were they able to use Wick, which is sheltered when Gills Bay is closed by westerly winds, then a reduced service could be maintained in all but the worst weather. Unfortunately at present there is no agreement over who will pay to install it, nor is there any imminent sign of this happening.
