Ferries taskforce hears of positive progress on replacement programme

The progress being made by Orkney Islands Council on a final business case for Orkney’s Ferry Replacement Programme has been described as positive following last week’s meeting of the Ferries Taskforce.

Representatives from Orkney Islands Council met with Finance Minister Shona Robison in Edinburgh last week to discuss the progress on the Ferry Replacement Programme and continue discussions on the potential funding of the programme

Those attending the meeting received an update on Phase 1 of the programme, which has seen the Council commission work on potential designs for three large vessels to cover routes around the outer North Isles.  Phase 2 will see work begin on plans for the rest of the fleet, as well as the associated piers and harbours infrastructure.

The Scottish Government also welcomed the news of the arrival of the Zevi electric ferry in the county.

The arrival of the Belfast-built Artemis EF-12 Workboat XL – named Zevi 1 - will be an important landmark in the Electric Orkney project, which aims to demonstrate the benefits of electric-powered hydrofoil workboats and passenger ferries to service some of the inter-isle routes in Orkney, supporting decarbonisation and island connectivity.

Since December 2022, Orkney Islands Council has been working with the Scottish Government on plans for the replacement of Orkney’s ageing internal ferry fleet through the Ferries Taskforce, originally set up by First Minister John Swinney and now chaired by Finance Minister Shona Robison.

In January this year, the Council welcomed the news that the Scottish Government planned to offer additional flexibility to the Council in the way it receives its ferry funding - with Council Leader Heather Woodbridge describing the move by the Scottish Government and the ferry funding settlement for 2025/26 as ‘the most progress we’ve ever made on our ferries agenda’.

Commenting on this week’s meeting Councillor Woodbridge said: “This week’s meeting was an excellent opportunity to update the Finance Minister and her colleagues on the progress that has been made on the ferry replacement programme, including that we are well into the design process for the three outer North Isles vessels and looking forward to presenting these designs to our communities in more detail in due course.  Discussions around the funding of the programme continue - and we are feeling positive about the progress that is being made and the value of these meetings to that process.”

Finance Secretary Shona Robison – who chairs the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force – said: “This was an extremely positive meeting, and I very much welcome the arrival of Orkney’s first zero emission ferry.

“Its imminent arrival was secured thanks to £3 million of Scottish Government funding which will support the planned pilot for two electric ferries and Orkney Island Council’s business case for a replacement internal ferry fleet.

“The Council plans to introduce eight new vessels in total which will link communities and boost tourism with obvious benefits for the local community.

“Alongside Jim Fairlie, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, I very much looking forward to visiting Orkney later this year to see for myself the exciting work that has been able to progress due to the Scottish Government’s ongoing support for Orkney.”