Two new ferries to be built for Western Isles communities

Work is under way to procure two new ferries for Scotland’s island communities, it has been announced.

Additional funding has been prioritised by the Scottish Government in order to assist Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (Cmal) in ensuring CalMac vessels are replaced, with project costs estimated at around £115 million.

It is anticipated that the new vessels will be deployed on the Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy routes.

These will be built to the same specification as the ferries currently under construction for the Islay service, the Scottish Government said.

It said that in doing so, the process of replacing the major vessel fleet will be speeded up, while a standardised vessel type will allow the ferries to be used on a variety of routes.

The estimated costs include allowance for minor port improvements.

The contract for the ferries is expected to be awarded before the end of 2022.

A builder’s refund guarantee, which would protect public money in the event of issues with the construction of the ferries, will be required from bidders, Transport Scotland confirmed.

Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said: “The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to improving the lifeline ferry fleet and better meeting the needs of island communities, so I’m pleased to announce additional funding to allow Cmal to launch a procurement for two additional vessels for the CalMac fleet.

“Our intention is that these ferries would be deployed on the Skye triangle routes to Lochmaddy and Tarbert, delivering dedicated services to communities in the peak season rather than the shared vessel operation currently in place.

“This will create the opportunity for significantly increased capacity and resilience for the communities of the Western Isles.

“It will also allow consideration of all options to deploy Vessel 802 on an alternative route, including potentially alongside her sister ship, the MV Glen Sannox, to provide additional capacity to and from Arran in the peak season.

“All the options will be discussed with island communities at the appropriate time.

Kevin Hobbs, chief executive at Cmal, said the commitment is “highly welcome”.

He added: “This additional investment will bring two new vessels to the fleet, meaning a total of six major vessels will be replaced by 2026.

“It also means communities in Harris and North Uist will benefit from a two vessel service, a move that will strengthen overall resilience.”