MV Bigga

MV Bigga is a ro-ro passenger ferry operated by the SIC Ferries. She operates as the shift vessel on the Bluemull Sound service.^[1]

MV Bigga in the ship's cradle at Fraserburgh
History
United Kingdom
Name	Bigga
Namesake	Island of Bigga
Owner	Shetland Islands Council
Operator	SIC Ferries
Port of registry	Lerwick
Route	Yell Sound (1991 - 2004) Relief (2004 - 2005) Bluemull Sound (2005 –)
Builder	J W Miller & Sons, St Monans, Fife
Yard number	1043
Completed	1991
In service	19 April 1991
Refit	Once a year, normally August - September
Identification	IMO number: 9000821 MMSI number: 232003606 Callsign: MNXZ2
Status	In service
General characteristics
Type	Ro-ro vehicle/passenger ferry
Tonnage	274 GT 82 NT 104.3 DWT
Displacement	404
Length	33.45 m (109 ft 9 in)
Beam	10.1 m (33 ft 2 in)
Draught	2.612 m (8 ft 6.8 in)
Depth	3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
Decks	4 (2 Passenger)
Ramps	Fore and aft ramps and bow visor
Installed power	2 x 410 kW (550 hp) at 1,300 rpm 2 x Mitsubishi S6R2-MPTK
Propulsion	Twin screw 1 × bow thruster
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	1 × rescue boat
Capacity	96/50 passengers 16 cars (size-dependent) 1 Artic
Crew	5/4

History

Bigga approaching Belmont, Unst.

Bigga is the last of four similar ferries built for the council in 1980s and 1990s. Out of the four vessels built around the same time, at different yards and to slightly different specification, Bigga is closest in design to MV Fivla with the same hull form, except a wider superstructure above the waterline allowing her to have more deck space.

Layout

Bigga was the first true three-lane ferry built for the council. However, due to sizes of vehicles now, normally only two lanes are used on her car deck. Just like other SIC ferries her size, Bigga has a passenger lounge located beneath the car deck.^[2]

Service

Entering service on 19 April 1991 on the Yell Sound route, Bigga, sailed alongside MV Geira (II) until 2002, when she was replaced by MV Hendra. They ran together until the two new Yell ferries came into service in 2004. She then acted as the relief vessel for a year before being transferred to the Bluemull Sound route, joining MV Fivla (II). However, due to a vessel reshuffle, on 3 October 2005 Geira joined her instead.^[3] These two ferries still operate the Bluemull Sound service today.

Bigga has done some relief across the SIC fleet, such as on the Bressay service in 2008.^[4][5]