Friday 29 March 2024
 6°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Swift ferry repairs ensured disruption was minimised

The 13-year-old Filla ferry.

SPECIALIST and emergency works costing £125,000 had to be carried out when SIC inter-island ferries Filla and Linga encountered technical issues last year, councillors heard on Tuesday.

Members of the environment and transport committee heard that the 13-year-old Filla, which operates on a route serving Skerries from Vidlin, Lerwick and Whalsay, was taken out of service for a few days in June 2016.

A new controller board was fitted by engineers from Rolls Royce over a five-day period, at a cost of £23,894, before the vessel was returned to service.

Meanwhile the Whalsay ferry Linga suffered an oil pump failure on a diesel generator on 28 July last year.

It meant replacing the engine, which was supplied and fitted by L&M Engineering at a cost of £100,534. The council has made an insurance claim and hopes to recoup that money.

Infrastructure director Maggie Sandison said the need to get both ferries back in service as soon as possible meant the work “couldn’t be competitively tendered”, so she took swift action and applied an exception to the SIC’s standing orders.

Committee vice chairman Steven Coutts said he was happy with the report, and that while it was “unfortunate when these unforeseen events occur”, he wanted to “pay credit to the quick action”.

“These are lifeline services and we can’t afford to wait,” he added.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.