Serco Ferry

[shetlandpeat]

...never any problems with the older boatsâ€...we went on, “they have flat bottoms...what else can you expect...plus, far too much superstructure above the water...never meant to be hereâ€.

 

Is there evidence of this, that the P&O boats went out every time? It is all hearsay at the moment and means nothing what is used as argument here.

After all, there were costs involved, I wonder why folk think that there should be no expense spared, until it comes to their own pockets. The all weather P&O boats cost about twice as much to travel on as far as passage, all times of the year. I have been on the ferries when the weather has been bad. They have sailed in force 6-8. One of the things I do recall is that if there were a sudden emergency on the Clair, those on e deck may never stand a chance of survival. I doubt d deck passengers would be any more successful.

I also remember the additional penny or two added to the MRRP printed on the box via the means of a wee sticker.

So, would folk be prepared to pay more?

[JustMe]

Of course the P & O boats did not sail all the time. But perhaps there were less cancelled sailings with them than with Northlink 1 and so far Northlink 2 seems to be following the trend of cancellations.

 

Have certainly heard stories about the North Boats being designed more for their suitability for being converted for other uses but perhaps the answer is for the freight boats to be better suited to the seas around Shetland. At the moment it seems like they are more likely to be cancelled than the passenger ferries.

 

But above all it has to be safety first. At no time should an experienced skipper be pressurised into sailing when his instincts say no. And at the moment I am left wondering if Serco's "we will sail on Sunday" promise is doing exactly that.

[shetlandpeat]

I would guess, unless I can be PROVED wrong, there may be, compared to sailings, a similar percentage of cancellations. After all, you have a daily service, with P&O you did not.

 

The older boats may have cost more to run and maintain than the new ones. I do know, if pushed, the new ferries can eat up the miles when they have to. One night we did not leave till nearly 11pm yet still made Aberdeen by 6.30am. Though the wind may have helped.

 

The video of the Northlink Ferry in a large swell that has been doing the rounds is an eye opener.

[getaba1110]

Will this be sailing our way...read blog...

http://maciverblog.co.uk/category/ferries/

Bitter disappointment as commercial ferry fares to increase by yet another 10%

The group representing island businesses has said that it is bitterly disappointed that its pleas for no increase in commercial traffic fares in 2013 have been ignored and that the SNP Government is to impose a 60% per cent increase in just 12 months.

Calum Campbell, the chairman of the Outer Hebrides Commerce Group, said: “At the beginning of this week we met with Alasdair Allan MSP. After that meeting we said that we were pleased with his warm words of encouragement. That, sadly, is all they turned out to be. The cost of taking a lorry to and from the islands will rocket by another a further 10% in March – a margin that’s being added to the 50% they imposed eight months ago.

“It’s devastating news, and we are bitterly disappointed that they have failed to listen to our well-argued case.â€

David Wood, the vice-chair of OHCG, said: “The much-vaunted RET policy of the SNP government is well and truly dead. This is another 10% over and above the 50% tax they levied on families and businesses earlier in the year. It truly is the economics of the madhouse and there clearly is no appreciation in Edinburgh of what this means for our islands and particularly those businesses who export products to the mainland.â€

Business economist Prof Neil Kay of Strathclyde University said: “ I have consistently argued the case for low ferry fares here as crucial to maintaining and developing healthy island economies and societies.

“I also warned that the so-called RET Pilot was doomed to fail to achieve its objectives, because no sensible person or firm would make long-run location or investment decisions into the Western Isles on the basis of what could be temporarily low prices as in that RET pilot.

“The fares would have to be seen and believed to be intended to be kept permanently low in order to influence expectations and give everyone confidence in making major location and investment decisions involving island transport costs.

“The selective removal of RET on island transport simply illustrates and validates the fears I raised from the very beginning – not just for Western Isles but for every other route where RET may be applied.â€

[JustMe]

I would guess, unless I can be PROVED wrong, there may be, compared to sailings, a similar percentage of cancellations. After all, you have a daily service, with P&O you did not

Seem to remember we did except in the dry docking period then the St. Rognvald brought freight in and out on the day there was no ferry.

[shetlandpeat]

There were days (or nights) that there was not a sailing. Our next door neighbour would not go every night to clean the boat, and later on, there were days I could not book passage...any proof?

[mikeyboy]

One of my colleagues was injured today in an accident caused by vessel motion. I guess that is the real cost of operating ships in the weather we have at the moment. So probably just as well ferry didn't sail.

[suuusssiiieee]

Peat are you thinking of the times before the introduction of the Sunniva in 87? (ie the Clair from Shetland every second day)....just for clarifying of course!

[shetlandpeat]

Thanks for that, guess I may be showing my age....

 

I have had more flights I was booked on cancelled than boats, I used to book the earliest flight if it was the day of the midday sailing. We were offered the ferry if it were foggy, 3 meal tickets we could use in the Fair Isle Restaurant (I think it was that), a cabin and taxi.

The few hours in Stromness were always good.

 

Now, there seem not to be any perks in travel. How was that ever allowed to happen?

[tirvaluk]

We did have daily sailing with P&O once the St.Sunniva

arrived, the only days there weren't sailings was when the mincruises were on in Summer, then no boat sailed on Saturday night.

The biggest worry for the ferries now, is not getting in to Aberdeen, it has been closed several times this week.

[shetlandpeat]

We sat outside Aberdeen with P&O before...

[MuckleJoannie]

The main problem with Aberdeen harbour has been a change in the earth of gales. It used to be that gales almost always came from the west. That meant that Aberdeen was realtively sheltered. The wind only affected shipping heading for Shetland in the exposed bits of sea.

 

Nowadays gales come regularly from the east. This makes the swell at Aberdeen harbour entrance bootom out at a depth that means there is a serious possibility that ships would ground in the entrance. That is the reason Northlink have to cancel sailings so often, not the strength of the wind.

[getaba1110]

I would guess, unless I can be PROVED wrong, there may be, compared to sailings, a similar percentage of cancellations. After all, you have a daily service, with P&O you did not.

 

The older boats may have cost more to run and maintain than the new ones. I do know, if pushed, the new ferries can eat up the miles when they have to. One night we did not leave till nearly 11pm yet still made Aberdeen by 6.30am. Though the wind may have helped.

 

The video of the Northlink Ferry in a large swell that has been doing the rounds is an eye opener.

 

The significant ingredient, excluding favourable conditions, for this swift passage is fuel consumed i.e. throttle fully open. The reasoning for this hast I’d suggest was that they were aiming to catch the harbour before the tide turned against them. Remember, with these vessels there is very little freeboard under them.

 

Decisions, in my opinion, not to sail are safety first...not un-coupled with little cargo heading south e.g. salmon, white fish etc. this time of year...no fuel burnt...is an added bonus for them (in an odd-way)!

 

Remember the Scottie Office would have them departing earlier...using less fuel!

 

4 x MAK 6M43 5400 KW each...four Big MaK’s...use an awful lot of fuel travelling at up to 24 knots (at this speed my estimated sailing time would be about 9 hours).

[Heimdal]

^

4 x MAK 6M43 5400 KW each...four Big MaK’s...use an awful lot of fuel travelling at up to 24 knots (at this speed my estimated sailing time would be about 9 hours).

 

Speed/fuel consumption @ 16 knots 20 metres /litre, @ 24 knots 10 metres/litre

 

 

 

Figures from Northlink leaflet when the boats were new.

[ArabiaTerra]

The main problem with Aberdeen harbour has been a change in the earth of gales. It used to be that gales almost always came from the west. That meant that Aberdeen was realtively sheltered. The wind only affected shipping heading for Shetland in the exposed bits of sea.

 

Nowadays gales come regularly from the east. This makes the swell at Aberdeen harbour entrance bootom out at a depth that means there is a serious possibility that ships would ground in the entrance. That is the reason Northlink have to cancel sailings so often, not the strength of the wind.

 

I believe the Northlink boats have a deeper draught as the old P&O ones which also increases the time they can't enter the harbour.