CalMac’s latest ferry has been launched in Turkey.
MV Isle of Islay hit the water today during a ceremony at the Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Yalova.
The £45 million vessel is the first of four similar vehicle-passenger ships being built at the yard for Caledonian MacBrayne’s west coast network.
MV Isle of Islay and her sister make up the first pair and will serve Islay and Jura. Another two vessels of the same class are to operate Western Isles’ routes.
The Islay will remain in Turkey for fitting-out until October when she is due to be handed-over to her owner, government agency, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) for their sea trials and crew familiarisation.
The second vessel for Islay and Jura, named MV Loch Indaal, is due to be launched at Cemre later this year and is expected to commence service in Scotland in early 2025.
MV Isle of Islay was ready to launch in November but remained on the slipway for another four months to gain extra outfitting time ashore as significantly more progress can be achieved while the vessel is out of the water.
Her launch marks a significant milestone in Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited’s (CMAL) commitment to delivering new ferries to serve the Scottish islands.
Crew familiarisation and local operational trials will then take place upon her arrival from Turkey, before the MV Isle of Islay enters service.
An official naming ceremony will take place on Islay towards the end of the 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.
Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive Officer at CMAL, said: "The successful launch of the MV Isle of Islay marks a major milestone in the vessel’s construction. It’s wonderful to see her in the water. We look forward to marking the official naming of the ferry, MV Isle of Islay, at the event later this year as we welcome her to Scottish waters.”
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, said: “I’m delighted to see MV Isle of Islay enter the water and look forward to her arrival in Scotland later this year. I know she will be warmly welcomed by the communities she will serve.
“This is another important milestone reached in the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver six new major vessels to serve the Clyde and Hebrides network by 2026.
“With MV Isle of Islay progressing towards delivery in October, and her sister ship MV Loch Indaal following soon after, ferry users can anticipate more reliable and resilient services with increased capacity for the Islay routes from 2025.
“I look forward to seeing these and more new vessels being added to the fleet in the coming years and bringing improvements for island communities across the Clyde and Hebrides network.”
Robbie Drummond, Chief Executive of CalMac, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming MV Isle of Islay into our fleet. When she enters service, she will deliver a real step change in resilience and capacity for the community of Islay enabling future growth.”
MV Isle of Islay -
16 March 2024
