Northern Isles Freight Vessels

A project to replace two Northern Isles freight vessels currently operating on the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick route

About this project

This project aims to replace the two Northern Isles freight vessels currently operating on the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/ Lerwick route. The project is led by CMAL with support provided by Transport Scotland and Serco Northlink Ferries as part of a tri-partite project working group.

Contact us

To get in touch with us about this project, please email:

nifv@cmassets.co.uk

Latest news

Procurement launched for Northern Isles Freight Vessels

Procurement launched for Northern Isles Freight Vessels

Procurement is underway for two new freight flex vessels to serve the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick Route.

The new vessels will replace the Hellier and Hildasay, on the service operated by Serco NorthLink Ferries.

The freight flex ferries will provide extra freight capacity and capability for quicker crossings on the routes. They will also have the flexibility to allow space for up to 200 passengers to travel at peak periods.

The first stage of the competitive tender process will see interested shipyards complete the Single Procurement Document Scotland (SPDS), which will assess their suitability to take on the project against financial and technical criteria. Successful yards will then be invited to tender for the contract.

Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive at CMAL, said:

“This marks an important step forward in strengthening the long-term resilience of the Northern Isles services.

“We look forward to receiving bids that demonstrate innovation, efficiency and the ability to deliver reliable vessels that will support a more adaptable and robust service for years to come.”

The invitation to tender for this contract is expected to be issued around August 2025, with a view to awarding the contract in February 2026.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, said:

“The Scottish Government is fully committed to investing in all of our lifeline ferry services and so, I am pleased to see this progress in procuring two new freight flex vessels to serve the Northern Isles.

“These new vessels will have increased freight capacity, higher operating speeds, and additional capacity for passengers in peak season. This will enhance the efficiency and reliability of ferry services to best meet the needs of the businesses and communities in the Northern Isles for years to come.

“The start of this procurement is an important milestone in our plans to improve ferry services and I look forward to following the progress of this project over the coming months.”

Stuart Garrett, Managing Director at Serco NorthLink Ferries, said:

“We are grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in reaching this first step in the competitive tender process. NorthLink Ferries welcomes the additional capacity that the Freight Flex vessels will provide, enabling us to continue to support the growth of the Northern Isles economies.”


Contact Us

Questions and comments regarding the project can be emailed to nifv@cmassets.co.uk.

Find out more on our project page at cmassets.co.uk/nifv.

Northern Isles Freight Vessels: Questions and Answers

Northern Isles Freight Vessels: Questions and Answers

Following the public engagement events in Shetland and Orkney on 18th and 20th March 2025 respectively, the new Questions and Answers document is now available for you to view online:


View or download as PDF ›

Stay Connected

To stay updated on the latest developments and news, follow us on our social media channels:

Contact Us

Questions and comments regarding the project can be emailed to nifv@cmassets.co.uk.

Find out more on our project page at cmassets.co.uk/nifv.

NIFV: Browse the Presentation Materials from March 2025’s Public Engagement Event

NIFV: Browse the Presentation Materials from March 2025’s Public Engagement Event

Thank you to everyone who attended this week’s public engagement events in both Lerwick and Kirkwall to hear about our plans to replace the two Northern Isles freight vessels, Helliar and Hildasay, currently operating on the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick route.

We are now pleased to share the materials we presented at these events for those who were unable to attend in person.


View or download as PDF ›

Submit your feedback

Your involvement is crucial to the success of the project. By sharing your feedback, you help ensure that the vessel aligns with the community’s needs and expectations. We welcome and value your feedback and invite you to submit our online form, where your comments will be considered by the project team.

Submit your feedback ›

Q&A Document

After collating all feedback, we will publish a Q&A document on our project page. Please check back regularly for updates or follow us on our social media channels.

Stay Connected

To stay updated on the latest developments and news, follow us on our social media channels:

Contact Us

Questions and comments regarding the project can be emailed to nifv@cmassets.co.uk.

Find out more on our project page at cmassets.co.uk/nifv.

NIFV: Public Engagement for Northern Isles Freight Vessel Replacement Project

NIFV: Public Engagement for Northern Isles Freight Vessel Replacement Project

We are pleased to announce a series of public engagement sessions for the Northern Isles Freight Vessel Replacement Project. These sessions, which will be held in partnership with Transport Scotland and Serco NorthLink, will provide an opportunity for the community to learn about the project and offer their feedback.

The events will be drop-in sessions and anyone with an interest in the project is encouraged to drop in at a time and location convenient to them. We will present our updates in storyboard format, and the project team will be on hand to answer any questions.

Following the events, a copy of the materials exhibited, and a feedback form will be available at cmassets.co.uk/nifv, and after collating all feedback, we will publish a Q&A document.

Date Event Venue Event Time
Tuesday 18 March 2025 Shetland Museum & Archives,
Hay’s Dock,
Lerwick,
Shetland
ZE1 0WP
15:00–18:00
Thursday 20 March 2025 Kirkwall & St Ola Community Centre,
Broad St,
Kirkwall,
Orkney
KW15 1DH
15:00–18:00

Why Your Participation Matters

Your involvement is crucial to the success of the project. By attending the engagement session, you help ensure that the vessel aligns with the community’s needs and expectations.

Stay Connected

To stay updated on the latest developments and news, follow us on our social media channels:

Contact Us

Questions and comments regarding the project can be emailed to nifv@cmassets.co.uk.

New Project: Northern Isles Freight Vessels

New Project: Northern Isles Freight Vessels

Scope

The project is to replace the two Northern Isles freight vessels currently operating on the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick route. The project is led by CMAL, with support provided by Transport Scotland and Serco Northlink Ferries, as part of a tri-partite project working group.

Design Work

The project aims to replace the two existing freight vessels with an improved design, adding freight capacity, reducing passage time, and potentially adding some flexible passenger-carrying capacity. We are currently at the concept design stage and moving towards the preparation of gaining funding. CMAL is working closely with naval architect consultants, Leadship.

Visualisation of new Northlink freight ferryNew vessel concept, courtesy of Leadship. The design is currently in development and not final.

CMAL, Leadship, and Northlink have been working closely with the MARIN institute to simulate the vessel entering and departing from the Port of Aberdeen to optimise the vessels’ design.

The next steps of the design loop are to identify the fuel and propulsion options.

Stakeholder and Community Engagement

As the project progresses, engagement events will be held to ensure that all key stakeholders are able to contribute to the project’s outcome. We plan to engage directly with Northern Isles interests with dedicated drop-in sessions planned in Orkney and Shetland. CMAL will work closely with Northlink Ferries to identify the optimum locations for the sessions. Timescales for this will be confirmed in due course.

Funding and Timescales

As per Transport Scotland’s Vessels and Ports Plan, funding for the replacement NIFS freight vessels is expected in Phase 2 of the plan (2026 to 2031); however, delivery of these vessels is not expected before 2028.

The Scottish Government is supportive of the Northern Isles Freight Vessel Replacement Project. The procurement and construction timelines of the project are subject to the completion of appropriate business case processes, availability of funding, and approvals from Scottish Ministers. However, given wider pressures on public funding, there is currently no funding allocated for future stages of this project, and the funding position is extremely challenging, which may impact the planned timeline to take forward procurement.

Second-Hand Tonnage

CMAL has been actively looking to purchase second-hand tonnage for the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick route, with three vessels taken forward to the purchase stage thus far. Unfortunately, it was not possible to conclude the sales in these instances. CMAL continues to explore the market for additional second-hand tonnage that could enhance current services and provide additional resilience to the fleet.

Contact Us

Questions and comments regarding the project can be emailed to nifv@cmassets.co.uk