THE first steelwork has been laid to form the keel of the new Fair Isle ferry in a build expected to take around 12 months to complete.
The new 24-metre monohull vessel is being built at the yard of specialist boat builders, Parkol Marine Engineering in Whitby. The firm won the £5.6 million contract for this work in June this year.
The new vessel will replace the current ferry Good Shepherd IV built by J W Miller & Sons, in St Monan’s in Fife in 1986 and which has operated on the Fair Isle route ever since.
Once completed, it will be the fifth vessel to serve on the Fair Isle crossing and, following tradition, will be named Good Shepherd V. It will provide a lifeline ferry service for passengers and freight for the Fair Isle community, Shetland Islands Council added.
The vessel’s concept design was initially developed by Shetland Islands Council in partnership with MacDuff Ship Design. The detailed design has been refined by Hampshire-based naval architects Chartwell Marine Ltd, who are working closely with Parkol Marine Engineering on the build.
Alongside the vessel build, work is currently underway in Shetland to extend the pier at Grutness, and to create a new slipway, boat noust and boat cradle at North Haven in Fair Isle. Dredging at both harbours has also taken place.
The anticipated total cost of the project to replace the vessel and upgrade necessary harbour infrastructure is £45.4 million, funded by £18.6 million from Shetland Islands Council and a grant of £26.8 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Visiting the yard earlier today were two Fair Isle residents – skipper of the Good Shepherd IV, Ian Best and entrepreneur Marie Bruhat, along with Shetland Islands Council’s project manager for the new Fair Isle ferry, Lee Coutts.
Marie said, “What was once a dream is now a reality and it’s really comforting to see today this progress on the new steelwork for Fair Isle ferry. There has been so much impressive work gone into the design and architecture of the boat, especially for the comfort of passengers, and the project team have really considered all details to make this the best ferry for Fair Isle.”
Lee added, “This visit and laying of the first steel marks an important milestone in the construction of the ‘Good Shepherd V’. This signals the start of the build process, and I look forward to seeing the vessel take shape over the coming months.”
Jim Morrison, MD of Parkol Marine Engineering, commented, “Laying the keel is a milestone moment, and we’re proud to begin building the new Good Shepherd V here in Whitby. This vessel carries huge importance for the Fair Isle community, and our team is committed to delivering a reliable, modern ferry that will serve the route for many years to come.”
