Seawork exhibitor Parkol Marine Engineering, which brought an aluminium fisheries patrol vessel to the pontoons this year, has won a £5.6 million contract to build a new ferry for a tiny island in the remote Scottish Shetland Islands.
Like the fisheries patrol vessel North Eastern Guardian IV, the ferry, which has also been designed by Chartwell Marine, is the first of its kind to be built at the Parkol shipyard in Yorkshire.
It will be a faster, larger monohull vessel that will replace the 40-year-old 1986 vessel Good Shepherd IV and will have increased lift-on, lift-off capacity for freight operations. There will be capacity for just 12 passengers travelling between Fair Isle, which has a population of just 60 people, and the Shetland mainland.
There are 300 islands in the Shetlands, 16 of which are populated.
“Winning the contract for the Fair Isle ferry is an important milestone for Parkol,” said Sally Atkinson, Parkol commercial director. “It reflects the trust placed in us by Shetland Islands Council to deliver a robust, reliable and versatile vessel that can meet the very particular challenges of operating in the Fair Isle Channel.
“What makes this project especially significant is the combination of passenger comfort with the ability to carry vehicles and cargo, all within a compact and efficient workboat design.
“For Parkol, the project also represents the continuation of our growth into diverse, complex vessels beyond our heritage in fishing boats. It’s a demonstration of the skills and dedication of our team, and of our ability to deliver to MCA Workboat Code Edition 3 standards.”
Preparing for offshore works
Elsewhere on the Shetland Islands, the Lerwick Port Authority is beginning an ultra deep-water quay as part of a plan to accommodate offshore energy, decommissioning and renewables infrastructure, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which has approved £1.2 million for the work, says.
The funding will support preparatory works, dredging and deepening areas adjacent to the quayside and approaches in Lerwick Harbour to -16 metres.
HIE, a public sector economic and community development agency for the Highlands and Islands, says a soft dredge first phase has already been completed and hard dredging is now under way.
A wider programme of infrastructure upgrades aims to strengthen the port’s long-term role in the maritime economy and the Scottish government’s five-year plan to develop the country’s offshore wind industry, HIE says.
“The multi-phase project includes improvements at adjacent quay sides and is intended to ensure the harbour remains fit for purpose well into the future.”
Port officials say the facility will give the UK a capability on par with international competitors, allowing Lerwick to attract a greater share of large-scale projects that until now have often gone overseas.
The quay will be designed to handle the transfer of large floating structures directly to the quayside to expand the port’s ability to support offshore construction, installation and long-term maintenance.
