Details of a trio of identical ships to replace the ageing ferries operating between Barra, Uist and Harris are to be aired at consultation events later this month.
New modern ships are required to maintain the service as MV Loch Alainn - which works
the Barra - Eriskay service - and the MV Loch Portain which plies the Berneray -Leverburgh
route are reaching the end of their working life.
Potential vessel designs have been considered which comply with the maritime rules governing ferry operations on the sea routes.
The vessels and infrastructure required for these routes will need to meet higher regulatory standards than the current vessels.
The planned mini fleet of Western Isles inter-island ferries was excluded from an
earlier round involving seven new small ferries due to different criteria.
CMAL, the Scottish Government’s vessel owning agency, say the thinking for a second phase is to build a trio of identical ferries specially designed for the Western Isles allowing them to swapped around as required.
The contract will be for three vessel to replace the present two ships on Sound of Barra service and the Sound of Harris link will be undertaken separately.
However, government funding has yet to be committed and the project is unlikely to go out to tender until finance is in place with the result the ferries are not expected to be in operation until around 2030.
The cash is unlikely to be confirmed until the political party which forms the next Scottish Government decides its financial plans sometime following the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.
The first consultation event is scheduled to take place in Leverburgh on Monday 20 January, and on following days at Berneray, Northbay and Eriskay.
Details of three new CalMac ferries for Western Isles inter-
9 January 2025
