The face behind the journey – Captain Amber Johnson takes command as NorthLink’s first female master
WHILE travelling on the Hrossey south to Aberdeen on Thursday night some passengers will have been left wondering.
As the vessel was leaving Lerwick and the captain welcomed everybody on board via the tannoy, some will have noticed a vaguely familiar female voice.
They all witnessed a little bit of local history as Unst lass Captain Amber Johnson took command of a NorthLink passenger vessel for the very first time.
It was a moment to make her feel “immensely proud”, sailing in and out of her home port as the first female master of one of the ‘northboats’.
Ever since she joined NorthLink as a third officer in 2015, the 33-year-old from Uyeasound has had the goal to one day “take command of one of our vessels”.
As we sit down for a chat on Thursday ahead of her first voyage in command, she leaves no doubt that she is ready for the challenge ahead.
“I feel good, I feel ready,” she says. “The people who have put me in this position have done so because they believe in me, and I believe in myself.
“So yes, I am feeling confident, feeling ready and feeling excited, but I am fully aware that every day you can still learn something, and as time goes on you will gain more experience, but yes, I am feeling good.”
She is full of praise of her employer for the career path they have enabled her to take.
Yes, she is the first female at NorthLink to take charge of a vessel. And yes, of course, she would like to see more females joining the industry, but more broadly, she says she feels passionate about inspiring every young person to thrive.
“There are currently two females and two males on the bridge,” she continues. “So, it is changing but [the industry] is still very male dominated.
“It will take time to change, but the industry is becoming more attractive to everyone, and NorthLink in particular is a very supportive place to be.
“So that is moving in the right direction. I would love to inspire more women to go to sea but for me it is about inspiring anybody who wants to go to sea, particularly locals.
“I grew up in Unst, but it doesn’t matter where your roots are, the world is your oyster – with the right attitude, determination and support anybody can thrive.”
Captain Johnson said she knew she had a passion for being on the sea from a really young age, and made up her mind about pursuing this as a career while still in secondary school.
She joined NorthLink over 10 years ago after initially qualifying as a deck officer of the watch, and then worked for a few years onboard supply vessels in the North Sea.
She gained her chief officer certificate of competence in 2017 and qualified as a master mariner unlimited three years later. She then worked for a few years as marine superintendent in NorthLink management, gaining invaluable onshore experience, before deciding to go back to sea in 2024.
“To become a competent master takes time, experience and confidence, and for me it is having the trust of all your crew,” Captain Johnson says, adding: “It’s a hugely responsible position.”
Her first passage from Lerwick to Aberdeen on Thursday night was a smooth and uneventful affair, apart from a little celebratory send off by the port pilot boat Knab.
Photo: Bryan Georgeson
Things will become more challenging as winter approaches and more time is spent studying weather forecasts, determine safe weather routing and berthing the passenger vessels in more challenging conditions, at all time ensuring passenger safety is paramount.
“That’s why you build experiences over many, many years,” she says, “it’s not just a case of getting the certificates that allow you to take command of a vessel.
“I have got to the point of taking command, and for me it is now my responsibility to mentor and develop the next generation; that is something I feel passionately about.”
And there are exciting times ahead, she insists. With the two new freight-flex vessels expected to be delivered by 2029, the time is now “to think about the future as there will be new opportunities”.
Serco NorthLink ferries managing director Stuart Garrett added: “We are delighted to have Amber in command and congratulate her on reaching this new high point in her seafaring career.
“We operate an extensive pre-command training portfolio which Amber has successfully completed and is one of several officers recently promoted as part of our succession planning which ensures the correct mix of experience, certification and local knowledge is always available.”
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