Catamaran ferry begins sea trials

The Pentalina catamaran can carry 350 passengers

A catamaran built to run on a ferry route across the Pentland Firth is undergoing six weeks of sea trials in south-east Asia.

Once testing is complete, The Pentalina is expected to head for Scotland from the Philippines under its own power, arriving by the end of May.

The catamaran was constructed at FBMA Marine's yard at Cebu in the Philippines, for Pentland Ferries.

It will replace an older ferry on a route between Orkney and Caithness.

The Pentalina can carry 350 passengers, between 32 and 58 cars and nine lorries and make the crossing between St Margarets Hope, Orkney, and Gills Bay, Caithness, in 45 minutes.

The vessel will take about 28 to 30 days to reach Scotland, making four or five stops on the way.