As part of the £30 million subsea cable installation from the Scottish mainland to Orkney, by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), Pentland Ferries’ MV Pentalina was chartered by principal contractor, McGowan Environmental Engineering Ltd, to deliver equipment from Gills Bay in Caithness to Lyness in Hoy recently. The equipment will be used to carry out seven kilometres of excavation to accommodate the new electricity cable at Rackwick.
Andrew Banks of Pentland Ferries said:
“The MV Pentalina was perfectly suited to transport the machinery from our Scottish mainland port at Gills Bay to Hoy. With its large open deck, the ship can accommodate a large quantity of plant equipment in one sailing, and the vehicles and equipment could easily be driven onboard at Gills Bay and off at Hoy’s Lyness harbour.
“Since the introduction of MV Alfred to the crossing between St Margaret’s Hope and Gills Bay, the MV Pentalina has, for most, remained on standby. We are now open to opportunities for any suitable charter work in the UK. The MV Pentalina is fully certified to operate anywhere in Europe and has capacity for 247 passengers and eight articulated lorries. It can also carry dangerous goods.”
