Ferry company thanks islanders

Orkney Ferries is thanking the communities on Graemsay, Hoy and Papa Westray for their patience last week, as services were disrupted due to an engine failure on the MV Graemsay on September 9.

Services reverted to normal at the weekend with the Graemsay back in operation as of Friday, and the MV Golden Mariana, which had been brought down from Papa Westray to cover the Graemsay’s routes, back in Papay for her usual timetable by Saturday morning.

Captain Alistair Wylie, Ferry Operations Manager for the council’s ferry services said: “We’re grateful for the forbearance shown by the public during the breakdown, especially in the early stages while alternative vessels were being arranged.

“There was a huge amount of work carried out behind the scenes to draft these boats in, and get the Graemsay’s spare engine repaired and installed in very tight timescales – so thanks must also go to all the staff involved for pulling out all the stops to get this done.”