Shetland Islands Council Ferries (often named SIC Ferries) is a company operating inter-island ferry services in Shetland, a subarctic archipelago off the northeast coast of Scotland.^[1] The company operates services across 10 of the Shetland islands.^[2]

Services

Services of the SIC Ferries are:^[3]

• Bluemull service linking the North Isles at Gutcher, Yell; Belmont, Unst; and Hamars Ness, Fetlar. This is done in a triangular service, where one ferry mostly operates between Belmont and Gutcher, with a few trips to Fetlar, and other is based in Fetlar and makes a few daytime trips between Gutcher and Belmont.
• Bressay service to the Isle of Bressay from Lerwick on the Mainland.
• Fair Isle service to Fair Isle from Grutness or Lerwick on the Mainland.
• Foula service to the Isle of Foula from Walls on the Mainland. This service is operated by BK Marine, a Shetland-based workboat hire company.^[4][5]
• Out Skerries service to the Isle of Out Skerries from Symbister (on Whalsay), Vidlin or Lerwick both on the Mainland.
• Papa Stour service to the Isle of Papa Stour from West Burrafirth on the Mainland.
• Whalsay service to Symbister on the Isle of Whalsay from Laxo on the Mainland.
• Yell service to Ulsta on the North Isle of Yell from Toft on the Mainland.

Current Fleet

The SIC Ferries fleet of 12 ferries consists of:^[4][6]

Image	Vessel Name	Cars	Passengers	Service	Launched	Shipbuilders
	MV Hendra	12	95	Whalsay (1982 - 1988, 2005 - ) Yell Sound (1988 - 2004)	1982	McTay Marine, Bromborough, Merseyside
	MV Snolda, ex Filla (I)	6	12	Out Skerries (1983 - 2003) Papa Stour (2004 - )	1983	Simek AS, Flekkefjord, Norway
	MV Fivla (II)	12	95	Bluemull (1985 - 2005) Relief (2005 - )[7]	1985	Ferguson Ailsa, Troon
	MV Good Shepherd (IV)	1 (Craned on)[8]	12	Fair Isle (1986 - )	1986	James N Miller & Son Ltd, St Monans, Fife
	MV Geira (II)	12	96	Whalsay (1988 - 2005) Bluemull (2005 - )	1988	Dunstons, Hestle & Millers, St Monans, Fife
	MV Bigga	16	96	Yell Sound (1991 - 2004) Bluemull (2004 - )	1991	Dunstons, Hestle & Millers, St Monans, Fife
	MV Leirna	19	124	Bressay (1992 - )	1992	Ferguson Marine, Port Glasgow
	MV New Advance (Operated by BK Marine)	1 (Craned on)	12	Foula (1996 - )	1996	Richardson's Boatyard, Stromness, Orkney
	MV Linga	18	95	Whalsay (2002 - )	2002	Stocznia Polnocna, Gdańsk
	MV Filla (II)	9	30	Out Skerries (2003 - )	2003	Northern Shipbuilders, Gdańsk
	MV Daggri	31	144	Yell Sound (2004 - )	2003	Northern Shipbuilders, Gdańsk
	MV Dagalien	31	144	Yell Sound (2004 - )	2004	Northern Shipbuilders, Gdańsk

Previous Fleet

The following vessels used to be part of the SIC ferries fleet, information left blank is unknown:

Proposed Future Fleet

Fair Isle

In January 2023, £26.7 million was awarded by the UK Government, as part of the 'levelling up' fund, to the Shetland Islands Council for the purchase of a new ro-ro ferry for Fair Isle and new terminals at both the Grutness and Fair Isle ports, including linkspans. The new ferry is expected to be similar to the MV Snolda, with 25m length and capacity for about 4 cars and a crane. The work is due to be completed by April 2026.^[9]

Papa Stour

There is also a project involving Coastal Workboats and BK Marine to trial a fully electric ro-ro ferry between West Burrafirth and Papa Stour. The cost of project will be roughly £9 million, with £6 million of which funded by the UK Government's Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. This trial is due to last 4 weeks from March 2025, in hope of it taking full time service.^[10]