The first of four sister ships for CalMac is to be launched within weeks.
MV Isle of Islay will enter the water on 16 March at the Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Yalova, Turkey.
The shipyard won two separate orders totalling around £190 million to construct the vessels which are due to be delivered between late 2024 and 2026.
The increasingly busy Islay route will receive the first pair which will provide more opportunity for CalMac to deploy vessels to the Western Isles and west coast to cover breakdowns or drydock periods.
Harris and North Uist are in line to receive the next pair of ships.
All four vessels are in addition to the pair of long delayed ferries being built at the Ferguson Marine yard on the Clyde .
The launch of MV Isle of Islay will mark a major milestone in CMAL’s commitment to delivering new ferries to serve the Scottish islands -
The launch will see the vessel move from the slipway into the water, where work will continue onboard.
In line with the shipyard build programme, the vessel will remain on the slipway until March, where installation of pipework, equipment, machinery, electrical works, and outfitting will be progressed. Subsequently, underwater hull coatings will be applied, and propulsors installed before launching.
The ferry, which will serve Islay and Jura, is set to be delivered in October. Following the transit from Turkey, it will undergo crew familiarisation and local operational trials before it enters service.
An official naming ceremony will take place on Islay by the end of this year, where community representatives and stakeholders will be invited to board and tour the vessel to celebrate its arrival before it officially joins the fleet.
Jim Anderson, Director of Vessels at CMAL, said: "Work at the Cemre shipyard continues to progress well, with the project coming in on time and on budget. We look forward to witnessing the launch, which is a major milestone in the vessel's construction.
“We look forward to celebrating with the community towards the end of the year, where the vessel will be officially given its name, MV Isle of Islay.”
Minister for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: “I’m pleased that the MV Isle of Islay will be launched at the Cemre Shipyard in March. Delivering six new major vessels to serve Scotland’s ferry network by 2026 is a priority for this government and this is an important milestone as part of that commitment.
“Ahead of entering service later this year, I look forward joining the community as we celebrate and officially name the new vessel. People will welcome a more resilient and modern ferry service for Islay and Jura, and further vessels will soon bring similar and highly anticipated improvements for Island communities across Scotland.”
The new ferry, along with its sister vessel MV Loch Indaal, will have a clear focus on freight, as well as sufficient passenger accommodation to meet anticipated demand. They will each have capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles.
This will provide a combined 40% increase in vehicle and freight capacity on the Islay routes and will improve the overall resilience of the wider fleet.
Launch date set for first of four new CalMac sister ships under construction in Turkey
12 January 2024
