MV Hendra

MV Hendra departing from Laxo
History
United Kingdom
Name	Hendra
Owner	Shetland Islands Council
Operator	SIC Ferries
Port of registry	Lerwick
Route	Whalsay (1982–2002, 2005–present ) Yell Sound (2002–2004) Bluemull (2004–2005)
Builder	McTay Marine, Bromborough, Merseyside
Yard number	45
Launched	September 1982
Completed	1982
In service	30 November 1982
Identification	IMO number:  8200254
Status	In service
General characteristics
Class & type	MCA Class IV ro-ro vehicle and passenger ferry
Tonnage	248  GT 74  NT 111.65  DWT
Displacement	343.45
Length	33.63 m (110 ft 4 in)
Beam	9.68 m (31 ft 9 in)
Draught	2.61 m (8 ft 7 in)
Depth	3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
Ramps	Fore and aft ramps and bow visor
Installed power	2 × 328 kW (440 hp) at 1,200 rpm
Propulsion	2 x Volvo Penta TAMD 165C 1 × bow thruster
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	1 × rescue boat
Capacity	95 passengers 13 cars 1 Artic
Crew	5

MV Hendra is a ro-ro passenger ferry operated by the SIC Ferries. She operates as the day vessel on the Laxo or Vidlin to Symbister, Whalsay service. ^[1]

History

Hendra was bought as the first of the second batch of new builds for the council since they took over the inter-island ferry services in the early 1970s. She currently is the oldest ferry in the council's fleet at 43 years old. Having been in local news recently due to this causing issues with passenger accessibility. ^[2]

Layout

The Hendra has two lanes on her car deck. Like most SIC Ferries her size she has a passenger lounge located beneath the car deck. ^[3]

Service

Entering service on 30 November 1982 on the Whalsay service, taking over from MV Fylga, which took over the Yell Sound service. Hendra operated alongside MV Kjella then MV Thora until 2002, when she was moved to Yell Sound. She operated alongside MV Bigga until the two new Yell ferries were introduced in 2004. Hendra then briefly operated on the Bluemull Sound before returning to Whalsay in 2005, where she still operates, as the day vessel, alongside MV Linga. MV Geira (II) had operated as second vessel at Whalsay while MV Hendra was operating elsewhere.

Hendra operated the whole week before 2014, when due to cuts she began to only operate Monday - Friday. Saturday service was reintroduced for the second vessel in Whalsay in 2022.

Due to an issue with the Toft linkspan, she operated a special service between Vidlin and Ulsta, Yell from 29 April and 4 May 2010. ^[4]

Hendra has on occasion operated as relief such as to Bressay on 11 November 2015 ^[5] and 23 October 2019. ^[6]

She has also occasionally operated to Skerries when no other vessel was available, sometimes in between Whalsay sailings.

References

1. Sawkins, James. "Ferry Timetables". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
2. "Accessibility issue leaves 79-year-old sitting 'freezing' on ferry deck". Shetland News. 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
3. "Hendra - Our Fleet - Ferries - Infrastructure Services - Shetland Islands Council". 2016-04-01. Archived from the original on 2016-04-01. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
4. Griffiths, Rosalind (2010-04-29). "Major disruption for travellers to and from North Isles after ferry ramp fails". The Shetland Times. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
5. Times, Shetland (2015-11-11). "Ferry service disruption at Bressay and Whalsay". The Shetland Times. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
6. "Bressay ferry service disrupted after engine trouble". Shetland News. 2019-10-23. Retrieved 2023-08-24.