MV Hrossey
MV Hrossey is a NorthLink Ferries vehicle and passenger ferry based in Aberdeen. With her sister ship, MV Hjaltland, she operates a daily ferry service between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland.
![]() MV Hrossey leaving Aberdeen, 2015 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | MV Hrossey |
| Namesake | Old Norse name for Orkney, meaning Horse Island |
| Owner |
|
| Operator | NorthLink Ferries |
| Port of registry | Kirkwall,[1] United Kingdom |
| Route | Aberdeen to Lerwick via Kirkwall |
| Builder | Aker Finnyards in Rauma, Finland |
| Cost | £35million |
| Yard number | NB439 |
| Laid down | 1 December 2001 |
| Launched | 19 April 2002 |
| Christened | 28 September 2002 by Kirsten Kelday |
| In service | 1 October 2002[1] |
| Identification |
|
| Status | in service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | 7,434 tonnes |
| Length | 125 m (410 ft)[1] |
| Beam | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Draught | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Decks | 8 |
| Installed power | 4 x MAK 6M43 5400 KW each |
| Propulsion | 2x KaMeWa 4.1 meter controllable pitch propellers with 2 rudders. |
| Speed | 24 knots |
| Capacity |
|
| Crew | 33 |
History
MV Hrossey and her sister ship, MV Hjaltland, were constructed in 2002 at Aker Finnyards in Finland.[1]
In 2013 following Serco being awarded the NorthLink ferries contract MV Hrossey had some changes as part of the rebranding, such as new “sleeping pods” and a new paint job.

Layout
MV Hrossey carries passengers, cars, freight and livestock. There is 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.[3] All cabins are en-suite, most being two berth, with a number of four-berth cabins for families.[4] In April 2007, an additional accommodation module was fitted at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, increasing her capacity to 356 berths.[5] The ship is fitted with lifts and was built to accommodate disabled passengers throughout. There are 10 officer and 27 crew cabins.[6]
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][6]
Service
MV Hrossey 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.
On 3 January 2015. Hrossey discovered the upturned hull of the Cypriot cargo ship Cemfjord in the Pentland Firth. A search was launched for her eight crew.[7]
References
- "Onboard the ships to Orkney and Shetland". NorthLink Ferries. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- "Hrossey". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- "Hrossey". STX Europe. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- "Travel to, from and around the isles". The Shetland Times. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- "North Link Hrossey Arrives on the Mersey". Irish Sea Shipping. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - "Passenger Ro-Ro Ferries for NorthLink". STX Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- "Major search after boat overturns off north of Scotland". BBC News Online. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
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