The UK's most remote inhabited island, Fair Isle, is set to receive a £45 million upgrade to its ferry infrastructure.

The investment, a joint effort between Shetland Islands Council and the UK Government, is designed to protect the island’s lifeline and its unique heritage and traditions.

Located 25 miles off the Shetland coast, Fair Isle is home to 60 people and is known for its traditional knitting and bird observatory. The Good Shepherd ferry is the island's only connection to the mainland, transporting essential supplies, school children, and tourists.

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BAM has been contracted to deliver the crucial infrastructure upgrades on both Fair Isle and in Grutness on the Shetland mainland. The improvements include a wider slipway, an enlarged boat noust, and a new winch house to safely and reliably maintain a new, larger ferry.

Building on the remote island presents significant challenges, as all equipment and materials must be transported by sea, and work is dependent on unpredictable weather. BAM's team is focused on designing robust structures that can withstand constant exposure to salt corrosion, storms, and waves.