Hamnavoe

Five vehicles were heavily damaged in a cargo shift, which occurred in high swell, while the 'Hamnavoe' was crossing the Pentland Firth on Oct 22, 2025, at 8 a.m., en route from from Stromness to Scrabster. No one was injured in the incident. A lorry shed its load, and a stone crusher landed on vehicles stored nearby. Five vehicles, three cars and two vans, suffered varying degrees of damage.The passengers were able to safely retrieve unaffected vehicles and disembark after the ferry arrived at Scrabster. The crew carryied out a full review of the incident. The original 8.45 a.m. Scrabster to Stromness sailing finally departed at 5 p.m. and arrived at the Orkney port at 6.30 p.m. The original 4.45 p.m. sailing from Stromness to Scrabster depart at 7.15 p.m. and arrived in Caithness at 8.45 p.m. The 7 p.m. departure from Scrabster back to Orkney instead sailed at 9.30 p.m., arriving in Stromness at 11 p.m. The ' Hamnavoe' wasl then to depart on Oct 23 at 1 a.m, arriving in Stromness at 2.30 a.m. with more weather related delays not being ruled out. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch was aware of the incident amd in the process of making enquiries. Reports with photos: https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/pictures-devastating-damage-to-vehicles-aboard-scrabster-417356/?fbclid=Iwb21leANlv1ljbGNrA2W_QGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeK6z-MY2UUC0MO8J3zB8cmziSTm0avEdo8atpkmFll01ZWtbD8LMsdhjL0Ow_aem_Eh24wjcgLS3qh77qychkZQ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7517eg4d24o?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/cargo-shift-ferry-to-resume-sailings-after-incident-417374/

The drug dealer Frank Doull was nabbed by the police as he returned to Orkney from the mainland on Nov 18, 2021. He was arrested on the 'Hamnavoe' at Scrabster, the Kirkwall Sheriff Court heard on Sep 27, 2023. The 31-year-old pleaded guilty on indictment to being concerned in the supply of cannabis in the course of a crossing between Scrabster and Stromness. Doull, of Andersquoy Court, Old Scapa Court, Kirkwall, had sentence deferred until Oct 25 for a criminal justice social work report.

The 'Hamnavoe' had to be assisted back to the berth at Stromness after suffering engine trouble in the morning of Nov 7, 2021. The tug 'Odin of Scapa' and a pilot boat went to escort the ship after it went down to being powered by just a single engine and safely berthed at the pier at Stromness. The engine was shut down as a precaution. The issue has since been fully resolved and the engine was operating as normal.

Approval has been given to provide Northern Isles ferry operator Serco NorthLink Ferries’ Scrabster-Stromness ferry HAMNAVOE with ‘cold ironing’ whilst alongside in the port of Stromness in the Orkney islands.