Some delays to new Fair Isle ferry project but ‘steady progress’ being made
WORK on a new Fair Isle ferry and upgrades to the island’s harbour is now expected to be completed in November.
Weather delays have affected timelines for the infrastructure work at the North Haven harbour in Fair Isle.
Although there remains continued progress on building a new Fair Isle ferry at the Parkol yard in Whitby, the handover date has been revised from October to the end of November.
This has been put down to “scheduling considerations” from the shipyard as well as delivery of an accessible gangway system, which is expected in mid-to-late October.
There are also increased costs, but these currently remain within the overall budget.
It is part of a project to replace the ageing Good Shepherd IV ferry, with the new vessel requiring harbour improvements in Fair Isle and Grutness in Shetland’s South Mainland.
The anticipated total cost of the project is £45.4 million, funded by £18.6 million from the council and a grant of £26.8 million from the UK Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ fund’.
An update to councillors from project manager Lee Coutts said the Grutness works are nearing completion, despite there being previous weather related challenges.
Work there has included piling, dredging and installing of rock armour.
Coutts said concerns regarding Good Shepherd IV operations at Grutness relating to new fenders are being progressed with “interim solutions identified and due to be implemented as soon as practicably possible”.
These issues are not expected to remain for the new ferry, Good Shepherd V.
Work is also ongoing in Fair Isle but adverse weather conditions have impacted progress.
Mobilisation of a jack-up barge from Lerwick to Fair Isle was also delayed by around three weeks due to sea state conditions.
The main contractor’s temporary accommodation facilities at the ‘Puffin’ site have been established, with 24 “bunkabins” now in place and occupied.
With delays now pointing to completion in November, the “project team, consulting engineers and contractor are continuing to implement mitigation measures to minimise further delay where possible”, Coutts wrote.
Meanwhile the steel hull, forecastle and associated “superstructure” of the new Fair Isle ferry are now largely complete, with the wheelhouse installed and welding works ongoing.
Coutts also wrote that outfitting activities have commenced, including installation of pipework, valve chests and preparation for machinery installation.
His briefing note added that alignment between the Fair Isle infrastructure works and vessel delivery has become an “increasingly important focus”.
“Coordination of commissioning, testing and entry into service is critical,” Coutts added.
“An initial workshop has been undertaken and with ferry operations and future workshops and programme reviews are planned with the operations team and project partners to ensure risks are understood and managed.
“The importance of maintaining the ferry service during the upcoming busy period and change of weather, as work moves into the autumn period, is a priority for the project team.”
The briefing also said that weather-related contractual compensation events account for approximately half of project risk allowance costs to date.
“Alongside weather impacts, ground conditions encountered during dredging works and the conditions of existing infrastructure have also contributed to expenditure from the risk allowance budget,” it continued.
“The position of the risk allowance budget continues to be reported monthly to the project board, supported by ongoing quantitative cost risk analysis to monitor trends and inform forward forecasting.
“Despite these challenges, the project continues to make steady and measurable progress, and all partners remain focused on successful delivery for the Fair Isle community.”
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