Orkney, also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north of the coast of Caithness and has about 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, Mainland, is often referred to as "the Mainland", and has an area of 523 square kilometres (202 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles. The largest settlement and administrative centre is Kirkwall.
Rousay is a small, hilly island about 3 km (1.9 mi) north of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, and has been nicknamed "the Egypt of the north", due to its archaeological diversity and importance.
The Orkneyinga saga is a historical narrative of the history of the Orkney and Shetland islands and their relationship with other local polities, particularly Norway and Scotland. The saga has "no parallel in the social and literary record of Scotland" and is "the only medieval chronicle to have Orkney as the central place of action". The main focus of the work is the line of jarls who ruled the Earldom of Orkney, which constituted the Norðreyjar or Northern Isles of both Orkney and Shetland and there are frequent references to both archipelagoes throughout.
The Earl of Orkney was originally a Norse jarl ruling the archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland (Norðreyjar). Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the Norðreyjar as Norwegian vassals was formalised in 1195. Although the Old Norse term jarl is etymologically related to "earl", and the jarls were succeeded by earls in the late 15th century, a Norwegian jarl is not the same thing. In the Norse context the distinction between jarls and kings did not become significant until the late 11th century and the early jarls would therefore have had considerable independence of action until that time. The position of Jarl of Orkney was eventually the most senior rank in mediaeval Norway except for the king himself.
Marine Atlantic Inc. is an independent Canadian federal Crown corporation which is mandated to operate ferry services between the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.
Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd is a shipyard located in Port Glasgow on the River Clyde in Scotland. It is the last remaining shipbuilder on the lower Clyde, and is currently the only builder of merchant ships on the river - the company's mainstay has long been Roll-on/roll-off ferries, primarily for Caledonian MacBrayne, the largest of which will operate between Ardrossan and Isle of Arran, the MV Glen Sannox, which is also Ferguson's largest product ever built. Ferguson's also built three of the world's first roll-on/roll-off Hybrid powered Car ferries MV Catriona, MV Hallaig and MV Lochinvar.
Orkney Ferries is a Scottish company operating inter-island ferry services in the Orkney Islands.
MV Atlantic Freighter, now known as Pelagitis, is a roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry formerly operated by Marine Atlantic from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, Canada. The vessel was completed in 1978 by Hyundai Shipbuilding Company Limited in and delivered to the Stena Line which operates in Northern Europe. She was sold on 12 March 2010 and given her current name Pelagitis.
MV Pentalina is a 70m RoPax catamaran ferry purchased by Pentland Ferries in 2008 to operate between Gills Bay, Caithness and St Margaret's Hope, Orkney.
MV Hoy Head is a Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Hjaltland is a NorthLink Ferries vehicle and passenger ferry based in Aberdeen. She operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland.
MV Hrossey is a NorthLink Ferries vehicle and passenger ferry based in Aberdeen. With her sister ship, MV Hjaltland, she operates a daily ferry service between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland.
MV Eynhallow is a Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Earl Thorfinn is a Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Thorsvoe is a Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Shapinsay is a Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Graemsay is a small passenger ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Varagen is a Ro-Ro vehicle ferry operated by Orkney Ferries.
MV Ever Queen Emilia is a passenger ferry owned and operated by Ever Shipping Lines. The ferry is the former MV Sea Olympia then was sold to Ever.
