1988
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
- The Shetland Fisheries Training Centre Trust was established to administer the creation of the North Atlantic Fisheries College
- Bressay Lighthouse was automated.
June
- 15th
Elsi Arrub, with Andrew Halcrow and his brother Terry sets sail from Hamnavoe, Burra. This was the start of a 5 year trip which took the brothers to such places as Australia, the Caribbean, and Easter Island.
July
- 6th
The Seaboard Intrepid, a steel hulled oilfield standby vessel in passage from Lerwick Harbour to the Brent oilfield ran aground on the Ord of Bressay in thick fog. The reason for the grounding was never fully explained, the vessel had turned to port to set course for the oilfield too soon, and before clearing the Bard of Bressay. Normal steaming time to the site of the grounding would have been 30 minutes, however the vessel grounded two hours after leaving the harbour, so it may be supposed she became lost in the fog. When it became apparent the vessel was badly holed and taking water, all of the crew with the exception of the Captain abandoned ship, and made for Lerwick Harbour in a damaged inflatable from the vessel, saving themselves. No Mayday was transmitted by the vessel, this also was never fully explained.
The Lerwick Lifeboat attended the casualty, and after considerable persuasion got the Captain to agree to leave the vessel and come ashore. He was later fined £1500.00 in Lerwick Sheriff Court in connection with the incident. The vessel was refloated some time later, and towed in to Lerwick Harbour in a sinking condition, where she was beached and underwent temporary repairs to allow her to be towed to the UK mainland. The total cost of the damage to the vessel is stated as having been £1.5 Million.
