filla – Pocket-sized ferry for tough environment

Designed by Macduff Ship Design in Scotland and built in Poland by the Northern Shipyard (Stocznia Polnocna) in Gdansk, the small but purposeful ferry Filla entered into service in June on the two-hour inter island route from Lerwick to the Skerries operated by the Shetland Islands Council.

With an overall length of 35.5 metres, a beam of nine metres and a draught of 4.2 metres, this multi-purpose ferry has deadweight of 160 tonnes and can accommodate nine cars or one 36 tonne HGV in addition to 30 passengers.

The 365gt, 12 knot Filla is a good example of a sturdy multi-purpose ferry built for a specific trade and is the lifeline for the remote communities on the Skerries. Because of this, and the fact that she often has to operate in difficult seas and in almost all weathers, a high level of reliance is placed on this vessel, which is reflected in the many redundancy features installed onboard. Ironically, the ferry suffered mechanical problems, which meant it was out of service for 48 hours after it had completed its first run from

the mainland to Skerries.

During its first scheduled passage, the crew reported a failure in part of the engine?s alarm system that was later found to be a problem with a connection associated with one of the pieces of equipment in the engine room.

The Filla was featured in The Motor Ship?s September 2003 issue.