MV Isle of Islay

Last updated
History
Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
NameIsle of Islay
Namesake Islay
Owner Caledonian Maritime Assets
Operator Caledonian MacBrayne
Port of registry Glasgow
Route Kennacraig – Islay
OrderedMarch 2022
Builder Cemre Shipyard, Turkey
Cost £91 million for 2 ferries [1]
Yard numberNB1092
Laid down13 January 2023
Launched16 March 2024 [2]
StatusFitting out
General characteristics
Type Ro-Ro vehicle and passenger ferry
Tonnage Deadweight: 750
Displacement3830
Length94.8 m (311 ft)
Beam18.7 m (61 ft)
Draught4 m (13 ft)
Deck clearance5.1
Propulsion
Speed16.5 kn (30.6 km/h) (service)
Capacity
  • 450 passengers
  • 107 cars or
  • 14 HGVs
Crew
  • 27 crew
  • 27 crew cabins + 4 trainee cabins
Notes [1] [3]

MV Isle of Islay is a roll-on/roll-off vehicle and passenger ferry being constructed for use by Caledonian MacBrayne on routes on the west coast of Scotland. She is the first of four ferries being built in Turkey for Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), and is expected to be delivered in 2025 for service on routes linking Islay with Kennacraig on the mainland.

Contents

History

A contract to build two ferries for the Islay service was awarded to Cemre Shipyard in March 2022. [1] A £115M contract for two further ferries of the same design for CalMac's Skye, Harris and North Uist service was awarded to Cemre Shipyard in early 2023. [4] [5]

The first steel for the first of the four vessels was cut on 3 October 2022, and her keel was laid on 13 January 2023, the same week that the first steel was cut for the second vessel. [6] Following a public vote, the names Isle of Islay and Loch Indaal were chosen for the first two vessels, which would primarily serve the island of Islay. [7] Isle of Islay was launched on 16 March 2024 by Morag McNeill, the chair of CMAL. [2] The vessel was expected to be delivered by the end of that year, [8] however this was later altered to the first quarter of 2025. [9] In February 2025 further delays were announced, with the shipyard blaming the impact of the war in Ukraine on steel supplies, Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, a shortage of commissioning engineers, and snow and cold weather in Turkey. [10] As of July 2025, the expected completion date was September 2025, some nine months later than originally planned. [11]

In May 2025, Isle of Islay undertook initial sea trials in the Sea of Marmara. [12] A second set of sea trials in the Sea of Marmara was undertaken 16–20 July 2025, after which the vessel returned to the shipyard for further outfitting work. [13]

Layout

The shipyard shows a drive-through ferry design with partially open vehicle deck. [3] She will have two mezzanine car decks, one being a single lane and the other having two lanes. There will be the normal five car lanes and four commercial vehicle lanes for a CalMac vessel. Electric charging points will be available on the car deck. [14]

The stern ramp will be able to change position depending on the port at which the ferry is berthed to allow ease of loading. This is a very similar design to the MV Glen Sannox. [14]

Service

MV Isle of Islay and MV Loch Indaal were ordered for the Islay services linking Port Askaig and Port Ellen with Kennacraig on the mainland, as well as providing a service linking Kennacraig to the island of Colonsay via Port Askaig. They are expected to provide a 40% increase in vehicle and freight capacity on the Islay routes compared to the service provided by MV Finlaggan and MV Hebridean Isles. [7] They have been designed to deliver a significant reduction in emissions. [1]

The two vessels are larger than the existing vessels serving Islay and Colonsay, and so infrastructure upgrades including dredging, new quay walls, strengthening works, fendering upgrades, and facilities for shore power were required at Kennacraig, Port Askaig and Colonsay. Additionally, a new mooring aid was required at Port Askaig. These works were completed in March 2025 to allow the ports to be ready for delivery. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Two New Ferries for Islay Reach Next Construction Milestone". Caledonian MacBrayne. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 "MV Isle of Islay successfully launched". Caledonian Maritime Assets. 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Isle of Islay NB1092". Cemre Shipyard. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  4. ↑ "Names announced for new Islay and Jura ferries". BBC News. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Contract Finalised for Two New Ferries for The Little Minch". Caledonian Maritime Assets. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  6. ↑ Comms, Clark (2023-01-13). "Two New Ferries for Islay Reach Next Construction Milestone". Caledonian Maritime Assets. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  7. 1 2 "New Names for Islay Vessels Decided by Public Vote". Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Matthew Fulton (9 August 2024). "New CalMac ferry built in Turkey delayed until 'end of year'". STV News. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Kevin Hobbs (CMAL) (30 September 2024). "Update on New Vessels for Islay & Little Minch" (PDF). Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  10. ↑ "Further delays revealed for four new CalMac ferries being built in Turkey". Hebrides News. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "MV Isle of Islay, CalMac's first Turkey built ferry, on course for completion within three months". Hebrides News. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Isle of Islay Undergoes Sea Trials at Cemre Shipyard". www.shippax.com. 27 May 2025.
  13. ↑ Danyel VanReenen (22 July 2025). "New Islay ferry being built in Turkey completes second sea trial months late". STV News. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  14. 1 2 "New Islay Vessel Public Meeting" (PDF). Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  15. ↑ "Islay Enabling Works - Stakeholder Update". Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. 5 March 2025. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
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