New cat sails after fit out at Dales

Helen Whyte of Pentland Ferries told

MJ

that the catamaran is more fuel efficient than the previous boat. ‘It uses the same fuel as the old ferry, but gets there faster and carries more people, up to 350 passengers in summer,’ she said.

Ms Whyte went on to explain that the new Pentalina has a much more modern design and makes for a more comfortable ride for everyone, too. ‘Disabled passengers can now get through to the main passenger lounge and we have special wheelchair secure places in case of rough weather.’ It seems that before the advent of the Pentalina, less able passengers had to stay in their cars, deprived of the wonderful views en route and dependent on crew for a reviving cup of tea.

The Pentalina is the first catamaran to operate on a domestic route in Scotland, but prior to this it also had the distinction of being the first to come into the Dales’ Aberdeen facilities. The drydock there saw the 81.5m long, 20m beam Philippines built ferry put through its facilities, where Dales Marine undertook final fitting out and tests, including an underwater survey and painting up.

Michael Milne, Dales Marine director and general manager, is particularly happy about the call, as he says the work demonstrates ‘the range of vessels we can accommodate and our ability to turn work around quickly.’

The Pentalina can carry nine articulated lorries and 30 cars, or 85 cars without the lorries. Larger and faster, the cat takes over the route from its predecessor, the Claymore, which has also been dry docked previously in Aberdeen for work by Dales Marine, as has Pentland Ferries’ Pentalina B.

But the ferry isn’t by any means alone in taking advantage of the capacious facilities in Aberdeen. Dales is proud of the fact that some 100 vessels have been put through the dry dock in the last two years, something that is especially interesting since the drydock, the largest privately operated facility in Scotland, has only been running as part of Dales since 2004.