Cammell Laird lands Orkneys ferry deal

ORKNEY Islands Council has awarded Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird a £2.7m contract to update and lengthen the MV Hoy Head car ferry.

The work will increase capacity on the vessel from 14 to 24 cars or for up to three HGVs and seven cars.  This will mean the vessel will have the highest load capacity in the Orkney Ferries fleet.

The £2.7m project is being funded through the Council’s capital programme. As well as increasing capacity, the project will involve upgrading the vessel’s propulsion and control systems. It will also improve its manoeuvrability and energy efficiency.

The contract is the latest in the ferry market for Cammell Laird, which last month won a multi-million pound deal to build two new vehicle and passenger vessels for Scottish-based Western Ferries.

Cammell Laird managing director Linton Roberts said: “We are delighted to be awarded this contract which again demonstrates our strength in the ferry repair, conversion and build market.”

“This contract further continues our long association of providing vital support to island communities around the UK.