SIC Ferries explained

Shetland Islands Council Ferries Ltd
Type:	Public (Council-owned)
Founded:	1972
Location:	Sella Ness, Sullom Voe, Shetland
Locations:	17 ports
Area Served:	Inter-island Shetland
Industry:	Transport
Services:	Ferries
Owner:	Shetland Islands Council
Footnotes:	Previously Zetland County Council Ferries (~1972 - 1975)

Shetland Islands Council Ferries (often named SIC Ferries) is a company operating inter-island ferry services in Shetland, a subarctic archipelago off the northeast coast of Scotland.^[1] The company operates services across 10 of the Shetland islands.^[2]

Services

Services of the SIC Ferries are:^[3]

Bluemull service linking the North Isles at Gutcher, Yell; Belmont, Unst; and Hamars Ness, Fetlar. This is done in a triangular service, where one ferry mostly operates between Belmont and Gutcher, with a few trips to Fetlar, and other is based in Fetlar and makes a few daytime trips between Gutcher and Belmont.
Bressay service to the Isle of Bressay from Lerwick on the Mainland.
Fair Isle service to Fair Isle from Grutness or Lerwick on the Mainland.
Foula service to the Isle of Foula from Walls on the Mainland. This service is operated by BK Marine, a Shetland-based workboat hire company.^[4] ^[5]
Out Skerries service to the Isle of Out Skerries from Symbister (on Whalsay), Vidlin or Lerwick both on the Mainland.
Papa Stour service to the Isle of Papa Stour from West Burrafirth on the Mainland.
Whalsay service to Symbister on the Isle of Whalsay from Laxo on the Mainland.
Yell service to Ulsta on the North Isle of Yell from Toft on the Mainland.

Current Fleet

The SIC Ferries fleet of 12 ferries consists of:^[6]

!Image!Vessel Name!Cars!Passengers!Service!Launched!Shipbuilders
MV Hendra	12	95	Whalsay (1982 - 1988, 2005 -) Yell Sound (1988 - 2004)	1982	McTay Marine, Bromborough, Merseyside
MV Snolda, ex Filla (I)	6	12	Out Skerries (1983 - 2003) Papa Stour (2004 -)	1983	Simek AS, Flekkefjord, Norway
	12	95	Bluemull (1985 - 2005) Relief (2005 -)^[7]	1985	Ferguson Ailsa, Troon
MV Good Shepherd (IV)	1 (Craned on)^[8]	12	Fair Isle (1986 -)	1986	James N Miller & Son Ltd, St Monans, Fife
MV Geira (II)	12	96	Whalsay (1988 - 2005) Bluemull (2005 -)	1988	Dunstons, Hestle & Millers, St Monans, Fife
	16	96	Yell Sound (1991 - 2004) Bluemull (2004 -)	1991	Dunstons, Hestle & Millers, St Monans, Fife
MV Leirna	19	124	Bressay (1992 -)	1992	Ferguson Marine, Port Glasgow
MV New Advance (Operated by BK Marine)	1 (Craned on)	12	Foula (1996 -)	1996	Richardson's Boatyard, Stromness, Orkney
MV Linga	18	95	Whalsay (2002 -)	2002	Stocznia Polnocna, Gdańsk
MV Filla (II)	9	30	Out Skerries (2003 -)	2003	Northern Shipbuilders, Gdańsk
MV Daggri	31	144	Yell Sound (2004 -)	2003	Northern Shipbuilders, Gdańsk
MV Dagalien	31	144	Yell Sound (2004 -)	2004	Northern Shipbuilders, Gdańsk

Previous Fleet

The following vessels used to be part of the SIC ferries fleet, information left blank is unknown:

!Vessel Name!Cars!Passengers!Service!Launched!Left!Shipbuilders
MV Westering Homewards (II)	N/A		Rejected Build, meant to be Foula	1990	1990	Jones Buckie Slip & Shipyard Ltd, Buckie
FV Ivy Leaf	N/A		Papa Stour (1981 - 1986 (Charter))		1986
MV Thora	10	93	Yell Sound (1975 - 1980 (summer), 1980 - 1991) Whalsay (1998 - 2002) Relief (2002 - 2015)	1975	2015	Thorshavnor Skipasmidja, Faroe Isles
MV Fylga	10	93	Yell Sound (1975 - 1976, 1982 - 1988) Whalsay (1976 - 1982) Bluemull (1988 - 2004)	1975	2005	Thorshavnor Skipasmidja, Faroe Isles
MV Grima	10	93	Yell Sound (1974 - 1975 (summer)) Lerwick - Whalsay (1975 - 1976 (Charter)) Bressay (1976 - 1992) Whalsay (1993) Relief (1993 - 2004)	1974	2004	Bideford, Devon
MV Geira (I)	10	93	Yell - Unst (1973 - 1975) Bluemull (1975 - 1985)	1973	1986	Thorshavnor Skipasmidja, Faroe Isles
MV Fivla (I)	10	93	Yell Sound (1973 - 1975, 1976 - 1982) Bressay (1975 - 1976)	1973	1982	Thorshavnor Skipasmidja, Faroe Isles
MV Koada ex Good Shepherd (III)			Fair Isle (1972 - 1984 (local run), 1984 - 1986 (SIC)) Papa Stour (1986 - 2004)	1969	2004	Bideford Shipyard, Devon
MV Kjella	12	63	Whalsay (1980 - 1998)	1957	1998	Kaarbos MY NS, Norway
MV Spes Clara			Out Skerries (1975 - 1983) Spare, Cargo to Isles (1983 - 2003)	1947	2003	Herd & McKenzie, Buckie
MV Shalder	N/A		Bressay (1973 - 1974)			Shetland Isles
MV Tystie	N/A		Yell - Unst (? - 1973 (local run)) Bressay (1973)			Shetland Isles
MV Westering Homewards (I)	N/A		Foula (1962 - 1978 (local run), 1978 - 1990 (SIC))	1962		Shetland Isles
MV Brenda	N/A		Bressay (1933 - 1972? (local run), 1972? - 1973 (SIC))			Shetland Isles

Proposed Future Fleet

Fair Isle

In January 2023, £26.7 million was awarded by the UK Government, as part of the 'levelling up' fund, to the Shetland Islands Council for the purchase of a new ro-ro ferry for Fair Isle and new terminals at both the Grutness and Fair Isle ports, including linkspans. The new ferry is expected to be similar to the MV Snolda, with 25m length and capacity for about 4 cars and a crane. The work is due to be completed by April 2026.^[9]

Papa Stour

There is also a project involving Coastal Workboats and BK Marine to trial a fully electric ro-ro ferry between West Burrafirth and Papa Stour. The cost of project will be roughly £9 million, with £6 million of which funded by the UK Government's Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. This trial is due to last 4 weeks from March 2025, in hope of it taking full time service.^[10]

External links

SIC Ferries Official Site

Notes and References

Web site: Home. Shetland Islands Council. 23 May 2011.
Web site: 2007-05-28 . Shetland Islands Council - Ferries - A Brief History . 2023-08-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070528190411/http://www.shetland.gov.uk/ferries/history.asp . 28 May 2007 .
Web site: Ferry Status.
Web site: route map. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180926212842/http://www.shetland.gov.uk/ferries/mapofservices.asp. 26 September 2018. 25 October 2020. Shetland Islands Council.
Web site: Foula Ferry Booking Information BK Marine . 2023-08-23 . www.bkmarine.co.uk.
Web site: official document reviewing status of ferries in scotland, p. 18. 25 October 2020.
Web site: Sawkins . James . Docking Schedule . 2023-08-23 . Shetland Islands Council . en.
Web site: A Guide to Using Our Ferries . 11 August 2012 . Shetland Island Council Ferries.
Web site: 2023-02-12 . Work on new Fair Isle ferry project underway to meet tight deadlines . 2023-08-23 . Shetland News . en-GB.
Web site: 2023-02-17 . Electric boat to be trialled between West Burrafirth and Papa Stour after government funding award . 2023-08-23 . Shetland News . en-GB.