Leirna

The service of the 'Leirna' will run to limited capacity over the coming days due to staff sickness. The ferry only ran until 8 p.m. on July 26, 2022. From July 27 to 30, it will run to its normal timetable between 7.30-11 a.m., and 5-10 p.m. On July 31, the service will run to the normal timetable between 7.30-10.45 a.m. and then again from 5-10 p.m. The public bus service, which operates on a dial-a-ride basis from the Bressay ferry terminal will not run on July 27 or 29 as normal. Emergency cover on the ferry service would still be maintained during this period. The SIC was continuing to see problems due to staff sickness. The council “fully appreciated how disruptive” this would be. “We’re having difficulty locating appropriately-skilled cover at a time when Covid continues to have an impact on staffing levels across the service, and when colleagues are taking advantage of the opportunity to have some much-needed leave. We expect the service to return to normal on Monday, 1st August. We’d ask residents and visitors for their patience in the meantime.”

The 'Leirna" was taken out of service in the morning of Jan 3, 2020, around 9 a.m. after a violent gust tore her from her mooring at the Bressay ferry terminal and pushed her against the loading ramp, damaging the hull above the water line. Noone was injured in the incident but one car is reported to have been damaged while disembarking from the ferry. The council ferry 'Fivla' was brought in to run the service while Leirna underwent repairs in Lerwick. At 12.15 p.m. the ship returned to service.

Services to Bressay were suspended in the morning of Oct 23, 2019, following an engine fault of the 'Leirna'. Engineers were currently investigating the source of the problem in the port of Lerwick. The 'Hendra' has been sent to cover the route, meaning that the Whalsay service has been reduced to a single vessel as a result because the relief vessel 'Fivla' actually was in dry dock. At 11 a.m. the 'Hendra 'was still making its way to Bressay Sound. Bookings on the Whalsay route were currently suspended.