MV Hjaltland

MV Hjaltland and her sister ship, MV Hrossey, were constructed in 2002 at Aker Finnyards in Finland.[1]

MV Hjaltland carries passengers, cars, freight and livestock. There are a choice of restaurants, bars and lounges, children's play area and a cinema. The restaurants and lounges have a total seating capacity of 600. The original 100 cabins had a total of 300 beds.[5] All cabins are en-suite, most being two berth, with a number of four-berth cabins for families.[6] In April 2007, an additional accommodation module was fitted in Birkenhead, increasing her capacity to 356 berths.[7] The ship is fitted with lifts and was built to accommodate disabled passengers throughout. There are 10 officer and 28 crew cabins.

Each pair of diesel engines drives a controllable-pitch propeller through a gearbox. There are two rudders, two 900 kW bow thrusters and two Mitsubishi stabilisers.[1][4]

MV Hjaltland operates between Lerwick and Aberdeen, with a call at Kirkwall on some days. A walkway, built specifically for the current vessels, can take both foot and car passengers. She is also able to relieve on the Stromness to Scrabster crossing.

In August 2012, a man died after falling overboard into the North Sea about 20 miles (30 kilometres) north of Fraserburgh.[8]

On 23 August 2013, MV Hjaltland was diverted from its normal route to assist with search and rescue efforts following the crash of a Super Puma helicopter 2 mi (3 km) off the Shetland coast close to Sumburgh.[9] The ferry was later used to transport the bodies of three of the crash victims to Aberdeen.[10]

On 9 September 2013, a passenger went missing from the ship during a sailing from Lerwick to Aberdeen. No body was recovered despite a major air and sea search.[11][12]

• NorthLink Ferries - Official Website