Victoria Pier News

The Scottish Port of Cromarty Firth is set to welcome its first cruise ship since 2019 with the arrival of the Marella Explorer 2 on July 25.The news comes as the Scottish cruise sector prepares to resume operations after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that Scotland will switch to Level Zero on Monday (July 19).The 72,000tn Marella Explorer 2 will be making her inaugural call to Invergordon with a further 3 calls throughout the season, carrying British passengers and calling at British ports only.UK Government…

The record for the biggest cruise ship into Lerwick Harbour will be broken on Today (Sunday) when Celebrity Silhouette enters the Shetland port on a 14-nights British Isles Cruise. On her maiden call at Lerwick, Celebrity Cruises’ 122,210 gross tonne vessel will beat the record set by the 115,055 gross tonne Azura on 30 June. Captain Calum Grains, Lerwick Port Authority’s Harbour Master and Deputy Chief Executive, said: “The visit by Celebrity Silhouette will be another highlight of a record-breaking season and in the long involvement of Lerwick and Shetland with the cruise industry. “The sheltered and safe, deep-water anchorages and proven modern landing-stage facilities make the harbour an ideal port-of-call for large cruise ships.

Lerwick Harbour’s record-breaking cruise season will hit the first of several milestones this season on Thursday (30 June) with the arrival of Azura, the largest cruise ship yet to enter the Shetland port. The P&O Cruises vessel will arrive from Akureyri, in north Iceland, en route for Kirkwall, Orkney, with around 3,100 passengers on a 14 nights’ round-trip voyage from Southampton. On her maiden visit, the 115,055 gross tonne Azura will break the port record set by Costa Pacifica, at 114,288 gross tonnes, in June 2011. The 290-metre vessel is scheduled to anchor at around 8am with passengers transferred by tender to Albert Dock where they will be welcomed by the volunteer Meet-and-Greet team.

The annual Shetland Race from Bergen will be at Lerwick from Thursday 23 to Saturday 25 June. 2016 marks the 30th annual race which started in 1987 – that first year with only one competitor actually making the trip but it still ranked as a qualifying race. From 1988 the race has attracted a good number of entries annually. Currently, 34 yachts are entered bringing up to 200 sailors to Lerwick. The entries are predominantly Norwegian but there are two British flagged yachts participating including local yacht Roundabout skippered by Tommy Allan. There is also a German entry, and a previous Scottish prizewinner Erin skippered by John Murphy of Port Edgar Yacht Club. The timings of the race at Lerwick are slightly different this year.

Lerwick Harbour is making ready for a surprise visit by the 123 metre cruise ship Hanseatic. The 8,378 gross tonnes vessel carrying 144 mainly German passengers is due to arrive at 1200 noon on Sunday 27 September from Seydisfjordur and will berth at Victoria Pier East before sailing again at approximately 2000 hrs for Kirkwall. Chief Executive, Sandra Laurenson commented “We are pleased to have been able to accommodate Hanseatic at short notice and our meet and greet team will be on-hand to provide their warm and friendly Shetland welcome to passengers and crew on their arrival.

Lerwick Port Authority’s Victoria Pier Car Park is having a special charity day on Saturday to coincide with the start of Living Lerwick’s Shopping Week. All proceeds from car park takings on Saturday 11 July will be match funded by Lerwick Port Authority and donated to Shetland Stroke Support Group. Lerwick Shopping Week will run from 11 to 17 July inclusive to provide a week of fun activities and events in the town centre area.  Some of the enticing promotions include meet the maker events, a Shetland Picnic, free food and product demonstrations, al fresco dining from local take-aways, a pavement art competition, music at Harrison Square, craft workshops and much much more.

A further accommodation ship, Ocean Atlantic, is due at Lerwick on Monday 27 April 2015 and is on its way from Portland in Dorset. As with the other floating accommodation at the port, Petrofac will use it for workers constructing the Shetland Gas Plant project. Around 200 people will be accommodated onboard. The 140 metre long vessel, a former ro/ro ship, will berth at Victoria Pier in Lerwick until June and will be required to move off the berth on occasions to suit other vessel movements.

Day 18 of the relay round Scotland will see the Queen’s Baton begin its Shetland route at Sumburgh taking in visits to Sandwick, Lerwick, Scalloway and Brae. The Baton route at Lerwick in the afternoon will begin from Holmsgarth Road at 4.28pm today and meander its way around Lerwick taking in Shetland Museum & Archives and Mareel. The Baton will take a short voyage on local replica Viking long-ship Dim Riv to arrive at Victoria Pier around 5.30pm before heading along the Esplanade, around the South end of Lerwick and the Knab and back through the streets, to culminate in an Evening Celebration event at the Clickimin Athletics Track.