The North Boat (Northlink ferries)

[mikeyboy]

I don't understand why the boat doesn't sail from Leith or Rosyth anyway. Much easier for transport links. There wouldn't be all those lorries going up and down A90 either.

[Skunnered]

^^That's fine for lorries and for people driving further south, but no good for the majority of Shetlanders who want to get to Aberdeen or thereabouts for a whole variety of reasons. Aberdeen is the traditional connection point for Shetland.

[Guest Anonymous]

I don't understand why the boat doesn't sail from Leith or Rosyth anyway. Much easier for transport links. There wouldn't be all those lorries going up and down A90 either.

 

Leith suits me better , but like it says regularly the majority says aberdeen , moving ports will only gi them an excuse to hike another price rise

[mikeyboy]

I realise that it is traditionally but that is only because thats where the boat goes. If the ferry moves South then eventually the links with the South will be increased. Much handier for getting on the motorway network or for flying. I'm not saying it would suit everybody but its definately an idea.

Do the majority of shetlanders want to go to Aberdeen? I honestly don't know but a hell of a lot of cars turn left at the dock gates and head South. And all the folk heading to the train station tells me something.

[Skunnered]

OK, I don't know if it's the majority that prefer Aberdeen, but it's certainly a large proportion. Of course it would take a lot longer to sail further south, so depending on what time it left Lerwick, the boat probably wouldn't get in first thing in the morning.

 

In the end, what we really need is a service to Aberdeen AND to Rossyth, but I'm sure that couldn't be justified economically.

[mikeyboy]

Maybe that is the way to go.

Leaving on alternate days maybe.

You could have a smaller boat in Aberdeen and a larger one from Rosyth.

I am not sure how much longer it takes to go from Shetland to Edinburgh over Aberdeen. Bearing in mind that the boat slows down to get into Aberdeen at 0700.

[Guest Anonymous]

a vital part of the aberdeen connection is the supply, delivery and obtainability of goods through many years of good will trade , thats very unlikely dealing with Lieth because i know first hand that even having goods delivered from purchases via mastercard n the likes can be i.d. proving nightmare stramash from living there, there is absolutely no trading good will to be had in edinburgh full stop in my experience

[glipper]

A smaller boat to Aberdeen Mikeyboy..??? Hows that going to work in the north sea in winter..?? And what about the fares people are complaining now about fares if you have these boats hammering at to get to Leith or Rosyth the fares will rocket..These boats burn 8 ton more fuel going to Orkney because they have to use all the power to keep on schedule ..The fares will go out the roof to cover the extra fuel going to Leith or Rosyth ...

[scooper]

Boy boy im heard it all noo mikeyboy your on about a smaller boat tae Aberdeen hows dat gain tae wirk in da winter...

[Skunnered]

^^The ideal timing, probably, is to leave no earlier than 5pm, possibly about 6pm, and arrive about 7.30am. Both ways. And to do that at an economical speed. That's just about what they do at the moment, except when they go via Orkney.

 

They wouldn't be able to do all of that if they sailed to Rosyth.

[glipper]

Skunnerd... There's no way you could leave at 5-6 skunnerd and be in Rosyth at 7.30 economicaly ..Do you realise Rosyth is nearly 90 mile from Aberdeen by sea which is half the distance again between Lerwick and Aberdeen..

[david]

It would add on at least 5 hours steaming time at a reasonable speed.

 

So either you'd have people complaining that the journey is too long, or you'd have to go at a speed so fast that the cost would defeat the point.

 

And it would have to be Rosyth rather than Leith as Leith doesn't have ro/ro facilities and is hampered by the tides on a daily basis.

 

And Rosyth isn't Edinburgh. It is pretty much useless for foot passengers.

[JustMe]

Perhaps an old sea dog will correct me but as I understand it the recent problems with the weather conditions had nothing to do with the suitability of the ferries for the route and everything to do with Aberdeen's port being unsuitable in certain sea conditions. I also understand that the problem could be lessened although not completely fixed if Aberdeen Port Authority were to dredge the harbour entrance more frequently. Yes!....or No!.

[david]

the old sea dog in you is correct.

 

Pretty much every vessel was stuck in or outside Aberdeen, not just the Northlink ferries. So it has nothing to do with the design of the boat as such in this case. Had the trusty St Clair still been on the route she would have been stuck too.

 

I think it has just been bad luck over the last 10 years than the situation has got worse. Either through coincidence, global warming, I'm not sure.

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I think if we got the Clair and Sunniva back on the route, despite being against all the SOLAS rules and the fact one of them no longer exists, I think the residents of Orkney and Shetland would be in for a right shock.

[Skunnered]

Skunnerd... There's no way you could leave at 5-6 skunnerd and be in Rosyth at 7.30 economicaly ..Do you realise Rosyth is nearly 90 mile from Aberdeen by sea which is half the distance again between Lerwick and Aberdeen..

 

Yes I do realise that, and yes I do know where Rosyth is. I also know how fast the boats can go to be economical. All of that was the point I was actually making.