Orkney and Shetland shipping

Origins of "The North Company" date back to 1790. Services from the Scottish mainland and the northern isles were taken over in 1971 by the famous P&O company and this continued until 2002. Although they changed the livery of their ships to blue and white as seen on the main card they kept the earlier tradition of naming their ferries after saints called St Clair St Ola and St Sunniva with older company ships also including such names as St Magnus St Rognwald St Ninian.
In the 1980s Lady H and I had the pleasure of sailing on the St Clair (4th of that name) overnight between Aberdeen and Lerwick and also on the St Ola (3rd of that name) between Scrabster and Stromness for wonderfully memorable holidays.
Extras  show the St Clair leaving Lerwick with Bressay island behind, St Ola and St Sunniva in Stromness harbour and the Old Man of Hoy with a passing St Ola
These routes are now served by Northlink Ferries in the ferries Hjaltland, Hamnavoe and Hrossay
Pentland Ferries offer a vehicle ferry link on a shorter crossing from near John o' Groats to St Margaret's Hope in Orkney