THE new Fair Isle ferry has been unwrapped with tarpaulin removed from the scaffolding at the boatyard in Whitby where the vessel is being built.
Parkol Marine Engineering laid the first steels in November 2025, with Shetland Islands Council saying the specialist boat builders have made ‘good progress’ on the 24-metre monohull vessel.
The hull and superstructure of the vessel are now complete and painted, and the vessel will soon be lifted by crane from the boatyard into the water by the quayside on the River Esk. In the coming weeks, boatyard staff will continue the final work on the boat including fitting-out internal spaces and testing systems before sea trials can take place.
The new ferry will replace the current 40-year-old Good Shepherd IV, that has served on the crossing between the Fair Isle and the Shetland mainland since 1986. The council explained that the boat is a lifeline for the Fair Isle community and regularly carries large goods and essential freight which can’t be transported by air, as well as passengers.
Meanwhile, work in Fair Isle harbour will continue in the coming months to install the winch house and cradle for the boat noust, to take the vessel out of the water in poor weather. Work is now largely complete on the extended pier and new breakwater at Grutness on the Shetland mainland, with only minor finishing works remaining.
The estimated total cost of the project to replace the vessel and upgrade necessary harbour infrastructure is £45.4 million, £18.6 million of which is from Shetland Islands Council and a grant of £26.8 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The £5.6 million contract to build the new vessel was awarded to Parkol Marine Engineering in June 2025.
The local authority added that it is expected that the new vessel will leave Whitby to arrive in Shetland before Christmas, weather permitting.
Moraig Lyall, chair of Shetland Islands Council’s environment and transport committee, said, “This is a key milestone for the project– after months under wraps, it’s good to see the new vessel unveiled before the final stages of work take place. The Good Shepherd V will be such an important asset for the social and economic future of Fair Isle. I look forward to seeing more of the progress in the coming weeks before she leaves Whitby on her way to Shetland.”
