Scotland’s Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) plans to build up to 10 electric ferries to serve its island communities after a long-running saga over putting new larger LNG-fuelled passenger vessels into operation under its fleet renewal plans.
CMAL said it intends to award a contract to Poland’s Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk to build seven of the vessels under the first phase.
Cammell Laird in the UK, Cemre Marin Endustri of Turkey, Dutch yard Damen Offshore & Specialized Vessels and Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow of Scotland also bid for the work.
The ferries will be ordered under CMAL’s small vessel replacement programme. A further three will be built in phase two of the project, which will be procured through a competitive tender later this year.
“The electric ferries will help to support island communities and improve the resilience of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network, with delivery of the first vessel expected in 2027,” CMAL said.
Chief executive Kevin Hobbs said there would now be a 10-day standstill before finalising the contract.
Scotland transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “These seven new vessels will help improve connectivity and resilience for island residents, businesses and communities, and their electric operation will contribute to reduced carbon emissions from Scotland’s ferry fleet and make ferry travel more sustainable.”
Ferry operator CalMac Ferries leases its vessels from CMAL.
CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison said: “These seven new vessels, when combined with the six major new vessels joining the fleet in 2025 and 2026, will mean one-third of our entire fleet has been renewed.”
Scotland’s ferry renewal plans have turned into a long-running saga for two vessels in particular.
In November, the first of two hugely delayed LNG-fuelled ferries, the 7,040-gt Glen Sannox (built 2024), one of a pair of 1,000-passenger ferries contracted at Scottish yard Ferguson Marine, went into operation.
However, it was taken out of service briefly last week while repairs were undertaken to hairline hull cracks.
Separately, interim chief executive of Ferguson Marine shipyard John Petticrew resigned last week for personal reasons and is returning to Canada.
CalMac is building a further four ferries in Turkey which will have the option for LNG-fuel retrofitting.(Copyright)
