Aberdeen re-opens

ABERDEEN harbour re-opened on Tuesday morning after 21 hours, however the Tuesday night sailing from Lerwick remains cancelled due to the disruption.

The NorthLink ferry Hrossey was stuck in Aberdeen on Monday night and will now not leave for Lerwick until Wednesday, while Hjaltland will leave for Lerwick on schedule on Tuesday night.

Shetland Islands Council transport committee chairman Allan Wishart said the regular disruption at Aberdeen from easterly winds was bad for island businesses and passengers alike.

Aberdeen harbour spent £5.2 million last summer to widen and deepen the port’s entrance to alleviate the problem, but Wishart said more was needed.

“Aberdeen harbour has to take seriously the trade it gets from Shetland. These disruptions are serious for businesses and far more than just an inconvenience to passengers.

“It is absolutely essential that we have a dependable port. Aberdeen really needs to listen to us an try to improve things.”

An Aberdeen harbour spokesman confirmed that the port had been closed from 12.30pm on Monday until 9.30am on Tuesday.

Hjaltland had left Lerwick three hours behind schedule on Monday night to arrive in Aberdeen in time by 10am, shortly after the port re-opened.