The £100m NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd build programme reaches another milestone in Finland today (Thursday, October 4) with the keel-laying and metal cutting ceremonies for the Hjaltland and Hrossey vessels.

The Northern Isles’ Viking heritage was brought into sharp focus when replicas of medieval coins used by the Danish crown to mortgage Orkney and Shetland to Scotland as part of a royal wedding dowry were laid under the Hjaltland keel as a token of good fortune.

NorthLink’s continued determination to involve the Northern Isles communities in the venture was underlined by the invitation to representatives from the Orkney Islands Council and the Shetland Islands Council to play central roles in the traditional shipyard ceremonies which took place at the Aker Finnyards yard at Rauma, Finland.

Orkney Islands convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston, performed the metal cutting ceremony on the 125-metre ro/ro ferry Hrossey. The convener performed the traditional act of punching his initials into a bare sheet of metal. This will be incorporated into the vessel. He then pressed the button to start the metal cutting machinery. Councillor Halcro-Johnston was accompanied by OIC chief executive Alistair Buchan.

Councillor Halcro-Johnston said: "This ceremony marks the beginning of an exciting new phase in transport provision between Orkney, Shetland and the Scottish mainland. I expect these fine ships to serve the northern communities for many years to come."

Shetland Islands Council external transport spokesman Councillor Gordon Mitchell performed the keel laying ceremony for the 125-metre Hjaltland. Councillor Mitchell was accompanied by SIC executive director of infrastructure services Graham Spall.

Setting down "good luck" coins is a traditional part of the keel laying ceremony. Before the first section of keel is laid coins are placed on a pedestal and the keel laid on top of those.

To underline the Norse heritage of Orkney and Shetland the decision was taken to use gold-plated pewter replicas of the 15th century rheingulden coin. In 1469, as part of a dowry agreement involving the marriage of King James III of Scotland to Princess Margaret of Denmark Shetland was mortgaged to Scotland by the Danish crown for the sum of 8000 rheingulden. The Orkney islands had been pawned the previous year. The mortages were never redeemed - despite several attempts by Denmark to do so - and the Northern Isles have remained part of Scotland and the UK ever since.

Because of the significance of the rheingulden - a German coin which was accepted as legal tender throughout medieval Europe - an original now has pride of place in the Lerwick museum and gold-plated replicas are on sale locally.

Councillor Mitchell said: "It is a happy coincidence that the ships are being built at a Baltic yard because Shetland has had close ties with Baltic States for many hundreds of years. The vessels now being started are specially designed for the North Sea routes on which they will be used. These vessels set new standards for the future. This is a significant step forward for passenger safety and comfort on the northern North Sea; particularly on the long Aberdeen to Shetland routes. The enhanced performance of these new ships will be watched with keen interest by those who use the routes regularly."

NorthLink chief executive John Horton and commercial director Gareth Crichton also attended the ceremonies at the Finnish yard.

Mr Horton said: "Six weeks ago I was involved in the metal cutting ceremony for Hjaltland. That was the absolute start of the build process. Now we are back in Finland to see the Hjaltland keel being laid. It is tremendously gratifying to see the project take physical shape.

"The NorthLink operation and the services which we will provide from October next year are of crucial importance to the Northern Isles. We are delighted that senior personnel from both councils are here today playing key ceremonial roles in the construction process of the vessels which will serve their communities. Their presence illustrates how important the NorthLink undertaking is to both communities."

Each of the three new vessels under construction in Finland will have the capacity to carry 600 passengers plus cars and freight. Two 125-metre ferries will operate out of Aberdeen and a 110-metre vessel will operate on the Pentland Firth, Scrabster-Orkney, route. Each vessel has been designed to exceed all of the latest safety requirements and to operate with the highest degree of comfort and safety on the routes for which they have been specifically designed.

The design brief has focused primarily on the provision of cruise standard facilities in both public areas and cabins. All cabins will be ensuite and equipped with TV. They are mainly two-bedded with some having an additional two pull-down berths. There will be a choice of restaurants, bars and spacious lounges and children’s play areas. The two larger vessels will be equipped with cinemas. Construction work is due to start on Hamnavoe - the 110-metre Pentland Firth (Scrabster - Stromness, Orkney) vessel - in late November.