SIC Ferries

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

The Bressay Ferry, MV Leirna, at Lerwick.

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:^[4][6]

Previous Fleet

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

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]

References

1. "Home". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
2. "Shetland Islands Council - Ferries - A Brief History". 28 May 2007. Archived from the original on 28 May 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
3. "Ferry Status".
4. "route map". Shetland Islands Council. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
5. "Foula Ferry Booking Information | BK Marine". www.bkmarine.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
6. "official document reviewing status of ferries in scotland, p. 18" (PDF). Retrieved 25 October 2020.
7. Sawkins, James. "Docking Schedule". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
8. "A Guide to Using Our Ferries". Shetland Island Council Ferries. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
9. "Work on new Fair Isle ferry project underway to meet tight deadlines". Shetland News. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
10. "Electric boat to be trialled between West Burrafirth and Papa Stour after government funding award". Shetland News. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.

External links

• SIC Ferries Official Site