Pentalina replaced the ferry MV Claymore, crossing the Pentland Firth, between Gills Bay, Caithness and St Margaret's Hope, Orkney.

The 10,000-mile (16,000 km) journey from the Philippines to Scotland was delayed by bad weather, forcing a short detour to Salalah, Oman.

[5] Pentland Ferries commissioned a larger catamaran, MV Alfred, to replace Pentalina on the St Margaret's Hope to Gill's Bay route, and the new vessel entered service on 1 November 2019.

On 5 July 2022, Alfred ran aground on the island of Swona and Pentland Ferries confirmed that the port bulbous bow had sustained impact damage.

[6] Pentalina returned to serve on the St Margaret's Hope - Gill's Bay route while Alfred was in dry dock in Belfast.