# Kirkwall (GB KWL)

**UN/LOCODE:** GB KWL  
**Country:** United Kingdom  
**Water Body:** North Sea; North Atlantic Ocean  
**Harbor Size:** Very Small  
**Harbor Type:** Coastal (Breakwater)  
**GPS:** 58.9833, -2.9667

Hatston Pier, just west of the old town, is the backbone of Kirkwall's commercial shipping: it offers one of Scotland's longest deep-water commercial berths and handles cargo vessels, oil-supply boats, cruise calls and marine-renewables developers side by side. NorthLink Ferries runs roll-on/roll-off freight to Aberdeen six days a week with the vessels Hildasay and Helliar, plus a twice-weekly container service linking Lerwick and Aberdeen. Cargo passing through is mostly trailers, general cargo, containers and project loads for the offshore wind and oil-and-gas sectors, alongside everyday supplies for the Orkney islands. Post-Brexit UK import rules apply, with customs clearance typically handled via the mainland gateways. For deep-sea container volumes or onward distribution, forwarders route through Aberdeen or Lerwick in Shetland.

## Transit Times & Routes

- [London → Shanghai](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-shanghai)
- [London → Shenzhen](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-shenzhen)
- [London → Guangzhou](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-guangzhou)
- [London → Hong Kong](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-hong-kong)
- [London → Tokyo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-tokyo)
- [London → Busan](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-busan)

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*Freight Academy — Seaport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/kirkwall-port-gb-kwl](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/kirkwall-port-gb-kwl)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/kirkwall-port-gb-kwl](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/kirkwall-port-gb-kwl)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/seaports/kirkwall-port-gb-kwl/llm-summary?lang=en*