ZEBU EXPRESS EN ROUTE FROM SINGAPORE

NorthLink is gearing up for the start of the busy Northern Isles livestock season with capacity to transport almost 150,000 sheep and cattle to the mainland throughout the crucial three-month period which gets under way at the beginning of September.

The ferry company’s existing freight carriers Hascosay and St Rognvald will be complemented by charter of the dedicated livestock vessel Zebu Express – sister ship of Buffalo Express which was on charter last year. She is currently en route from Singapore and is expected to be on station by the first week in September.

The addition of Zebu Express to the freight fleet means that the company has capacity for the shipment of upwards of 10,000 cattle from Orkney with uplifts on Mondays and Tuesdays for the duration of the livestock season which runs from September 4.

From Shetland over the same period NorthLink is providing a six days a week service with the livestock vessels running daily apart from Tuesdays. The company has capacity to transport some 140,000 sheep during the season.

The Tuesday ro-ro uplift for cattle from Kirkwall is being handled by Orkney Line Ltd. Customers should contact Andrew Stanger at Orkney Line (01856 873658).

All other sailings are being handled by Northwards Ltd and customers should contact Robbie Leslie at Northwards (01595 694447).

NorthLink chief executive Bill Davidson said: “The charter of Zebu Express means that we are geared for what we anticipate will be a very busy livestock season. She is on charter for a 56-day period and I would urge all farmers and shippers who intend to make use of the service to start making their bookings now.”