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Shetland Islands Council
 
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the ferries of Shetland Islands Council. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. Below this is a Fleet List in chronological order.
 
Thanks to John-ward Phillips for images and notes used on this page.
 
 
 
Route map of Shetland Islands ferries
 
Ships on This Page:-
Bigga (1991- )
Brenda (193x-19xx)
Dagalien (2004- )
Daggri (2004- )
Filla (1) (1983-2003) - renamed Snolda
Filla (2) (2003- )
Fivla (1) (1975-1985)
Fivla (2) (1985- )
Fylga (1975- )
Hendra (1982- )
Geira (1) (1973-1986)
Geira (2) (1988- )
Good Shepherd III (1974-1986) - renamed Koada
Good Shepherd IV (1986- )
Grima (1974-2004)
Kjella (1980-1998)
Koada (1986- ) - ex-Good Shepherd III
Leirna (1992- )
Linga (2002- )
New Advance (1996- )
Snolda (2003- ) - ex-Filla (1)
Thora (1975- )
Westering Homewards (1991) - sold and now Moder-Dy
 
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Shetland Islands Council
 
 
Brenda (193x-19xx)
 
Brenda (a girls name, a trend that followed on to the ro-ro ferries) was built locally in the mid 1930s and is still in use today as a work boat for the Malakoff ship repairer in Lerwick.
 
 
Three generations of Bressay ferries - Leirna, Grima and Brenda.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Fivla (1) (1973-1985)
 
Fivla (1) was built in the Faroe Islands.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
Geira (1) (1973-1986)
 
Like the Fivla (1), the Geira (1) was built in the Faroe Islands and entered service on the Bluemull Sound crossing between Gutcher (Yell) and Belmont (Unst) on 20th November 1973 replacing the locally owned launch, Tystie which transferred to the Bressay service. She remained the regular vessel on this crossing and also served Oddsta (Fetlar) from November 1974 She was sold to the Orkney Islands Shipping Company in April 1986, becoming the third Hoy Head before being sold to owners in Ramsgate for survey work under the name Task One.
 
 
Photograph as Hoy Head.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
Good Shepherd III (Fair Isle: 1974-1986)
Koada (SIC: 1986-2004)
 
The Good Shepherd III was originally an inshore trawler which had been owned since 1972 by the islanders of Fair Isle and which had maintained the regular island service. In 1984, the SIC announced their intention to replace her with a new vessel and to transfer her to the Foula service, although she did, in fact end up serving Papa Stour. In February 1985, the new Fair Isle ship was ordered from James Miller &: Son of St. Monans and she was named the Good Shepherd IV. The Good Shepherd III was subsequently renamed Koada (a sea stack of the island of Papa Stour). She operated between West Burrafirth (Mainland) and Papa Stour until 2004 (operation to Foula having ceased following the delivery of the New Advance). Car carrying capacity used occasionally. Sold to Olaf Isbister of Shetland in 2004 for use as a charter vessel. She has since been sold again to ’Herrislea House Workboats’ of Tingwall, and is to be used delivering fish food to inshore fish farms around the Shetland coast,
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
Koada at Scalloway on the Thursday 13th July
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Grima (1974-2004)
 
Built at Bideford, Devon, in 1974, the Grima, after entering service in the North Isles, was chartered in February 1975, by the former North Company to replace the Earl of Zetland on the route from Lerwick to Whalsay until a full roll on - roll off service came into operation on 2nd February 1976, under the control of Shetland Islands Council. The Grima then transferred to the Bressay service, replacing the Fivla, where she became the regular vessel until the introduction of the Leirna in 1992. Grima was sold in 2004 to Manson marine of Lerwick. Grima is a sister of the Fylga and the Thora,
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
Three generations of Bressay ferries - Leirna, Grima and Brenda.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Fylga (1975-2003)
 
Fylga was built in Torshavn in the Faroe Islands, and is a sister of the Grima and the Thora. She was used on the Bluemull Sound service, but was withdrawn in 2005 and laid up and offered for sale.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
Shetland inter-isle ferry Fylga now in the ownership of MMW welding of Lerwick, ruthlessly modified into a workboat.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips, 14th June 2006 in the Morrison dock, Lerwick
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Thora (1975- )
 
Thora was the fifth of the original vessels and was also built in the Faero Islands, arriving in Lerwick on 12th September 1975. Her regular service saw her become the second vessel on the Yellsound crossing, entering service on 5th April 1976. However, the requirement for winter relief vessels elsewhere, the double provision at Yellsound was only available in summer, until the arrival sixth ferry in 1980. A sister of the Fylga and the Grima, Thora is a spare vessel in 2006.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kjella (1980-1998)
 
Kjella (pronounced Sheila - Norwegian spelling) was bought as a stop gap vessel having been acquired from the Norwegian operators A/S Torghatten Trafikselskap. She had been built in 1957 by Kaarbos MY NS of Norway for service in Bronnoysund. After an extensive refit at Maaloy, the 163 gross ton vessel arrived at Lerwick on 10th July 1980 and became the regular vessel on the Whalsay service from Laxo, releasing the Fylga and permitting a two ship operation on the Yellsound crossings all year round.
 
With capacity for 12 cars and 63 passengers, she retained her original name, Kjella when she took up service in Shetland. She operated until the arrival of new tonnage, and continued as the second Whalsay ship until April 1998 but, with her steelwork deteriorating after 41 years of service,
she was sold to Babcock of Rosyth for scrapping in October 1998.
 
Kjella before modifications for Shetland service.
Photo: © Shetland Islands Council
 
 
Kjella in Shetland service.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Hendra (1982- )
 
The new vessel for the Whalsay service was named Hendra (named after councillor William Hendry, councillor for the island of Whalsay) and was built by McTay Marine of Bromborough in 1982. Her delivery voyage from the Mersey saw her stormbound at Stromness for five days but she eventually commenced service on 30th November 1982, releasing the Fivla which was sold, and the Fylga which transferred to Yellsound. With a car capacity of 18 and a gross tonnage of 225, the Hendra, was the largest vessel in the SIC fleet until the arrival of the Leirna in 1993. She is now a regular on the Whalsay service although Vidlin is used as the mainland terminal in preference to Laxo, under certain conditions.
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
Filla (1) (1983-2003)
Snolda (2003- )
 
The new ferry Filla (1) for the Skerries service was built by the Iversen shipyard at Flekkefjbrd, Norway and her inauguration took place on 28th November 1983. The Filla (1) (a Norwegian girls name) has capacity for 20 passengers in summer, 12 in winter, and she can carry 6 cars although she is used on freight services around Shetland when not engaged on her regular Skerries service from Vidlin or Lerwick. In appearance she resembles a small scale oil rig supply vessel, being of only 130 gross tons. She has a stern ramp, a hold and a strengthened deck with flush hatches to carry a lorry and she was fitted with a larger crane in 1998. On her introduction, in 1983, the Spes Clara became spare vessel. Following delivery of the Filla (2) in 2003, she was renamed Snolda (a sea stack to the south of Papa Stour) and will be upgraded to take over the Papa Stour service, and wears the SIC new livery.
 
Photograph as Snolda.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
Fivla (2) (1985- )
 
Fivla (2) was built by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co of Troon, and is used on the Bluemull Sound route.
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Geira (2) (1988- )
 
Geira (2) was built by Richard Dunston of Hessle. She was used on the Laxo-Symbyster route until replaced by Hendra in 2005 and moved to the Bluemull Sound route.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Good Shepherd IV (1986- )
 
The Good Shepherd III was originally an inshore trawler which had been owned since 1972 by the islanders of Fair Isle and which had maintained the regular island service. In 1984, the SIC announced their intention to replace her with a new vessel and to transfer her to the Foula service, although she did, in fact end up serving Papa Stour. In February 1985, the new Fair Isle ship was ordered from James Miller &: Son of St. Monans and she was named the Good Shepherd IV. Assembled at the Fife yard, but prefabricated by McTay Marine at Bromborough, she made her maiden voyage to Fair Isle on 24th May 1986. Capable of carrying only 1 car, which is craned on and off, and 12 passengers, this sturdy vessel is the main link between Fair Isle and Grutness, and she also makes Lerwick calls in summer. Good Shepherd III was subsequently renamed Koada and took up service between West Burrafirth and Papa Stour, but she became involved in the Foula saga.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Bigga (1991- )
 
Bigga was built by J.E.Miller & Sons, St Monans, and was used on the Toft-Ulsta service until 2004 when she became a spare vessel.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Westering Homewards (1991)
 
Westering Homewards was ordered in 1989 to replace an ex-lifeboat of the same name on the Foula service. She was not delivered until 1991 (a year late), but was rejected as being unsuitable. Koada and Good Shepherd IV covered the service until finally replaced by the New Advance in 1996. Westering Homewards became the Moder-Dy (an old Shetland phrase pertaining to the underlying swell of the sea). She is used by the ‘North Atlantic Fishery & Maritime Collage’ at Scalloway as a work & training boat.
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
Moder-Dy passing Holland America Line Prinsendam on 28th July 2006
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Leirna (1992- )
 
Leirna is named after a stack at the southern end of Lerwick harbour. At 420 gross tons the Leirna was the largest vessel in the SIC fleet at that time. She was built at Ferguson Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow and was named on 14th November 1992 (date of photo) at Maryfield Terminal, Bressay.
She took up service on the Lerwick - Bressay service on 2nd November 1993, replacing the Grima of 1974. The Leirna, powered by two Kelvin Diesels driving twin Voith-Schneider propulsion units, has a service speed of 9.3 knots. With capacity for 19 cars and 96 passengers and she is the only true double ended vessel in the SIC fleet. In 2002 the route carried 206,282 passengers and 70,451 vehicles.
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Three generations of Bressay ferries - Leirna, Grima and Brenda.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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New Advance (1996- )
 
 
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
 
Linga (2002- )
 
Linga was built in Gdansk and used on the Laxo-Symbister service.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Filla (2) (2003- )
 
The new Shetland Island Council's inter-island ferry Filla (2) for the Skerries route, arrived at Lerwick’s Albert Wharf on 28th May 2003 after a four-day passage from her builder's yard at Gdansk, Poland. Filla (a Norwegian girls name) is 8m longer than her predecessor, has a wider beam and higher superstructure. She replaces an older Filla (1) (1983/130gt), which has been renamed Snolda and will be upgraded to take over the Papa Stour service, and wears the SIC new livery.
 
The new Filla can load 13 tonnes of fresh water, can accommodate either nine cars or one large articulated lorry and has a total cargo carrying capacity of 120 tonnes, which includes two refrigerated holds. She is powered by twin Mitsubishi diesel engines, each rated at 617kW with 1,600rpm. A large passenger saloon provides accommodation for 30 people and has two wide-screen televisions and toilets including baby-changing facilities.
 
Following Filla's entry into service on 19th June, SIC confirmed an order for two further passenger and car ferries to be built at Gdansk by the Northern Shipyard. Intended for the Yell Sound service, the double ended vessels are based on a successful Polarkonsult design for Finnmark Fylkesrederi and will accommodate just under 100 passengers and 31 cars when introduced on the crossing from Mainland to Yell during April and June 2004. These became the Dagalien and Daggri.
 
 
Photo: © Shetland Islands Council
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daggri (2004- )
Dagalien (2004- )
 
Following Filla's entry into service on 19th June, SIC confirmed an order for two further passenger and car ferries to be built at Gdansk by the Northern Shipyard. Intended for the Yell Sound service, the double ended vessels are based on a successful Polarkonsult design for Finnmark Fylkesrederi and will accommodate just under 100 passengers and 31 cars when introduced on the crossing from Mainland to Yell during April and June 2004, the Daggri (old norse for the dawn) and Dagalien (old norse for the dusk). They are both 1862 gross tons, and were launched on 17th December 2003 and 19th February 2004 respectively. They replaced Bigga and Hendra on the Yell Sound route.
 
Daggri approaching the link-span at Ulsta (South Yell). 8th July 2006.
Photo: © John-ward Phillips
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Photo: © John-ward Phillips
 
 
 
 
 
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