CMAL Awards Contract for Seven Electric Ferries
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) said it intends to award a contract for seven new loch-class electric ferries to Poland's Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A in Gdansk, Poland.
The Small Vessel Replacement Program (SVRP) will see seven fully electric vessels built in the first phase, with an additional three delivered in phase two of the project, which will be procured through a separate competitive tender process later in 2025.
"These seven new vessels, when combined with the six major new vessels joining the fleet in 2025 and 2026, will mean a third of our entire fleet has been renewed," said Duncan Mackison, CEO, CalMac.
The electric ferries are intended to 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.
Following an initial exercise to identify suitably qualified and experienced shipyards, six were invited to tender for the contract, with five yards returning responses. The five yards that returned tender responses were:
- Cammell Laird (England),
- Cemre Marin Endustri A.S (Turkey),
- Damen Offshore and Specialized Vessels B.V (Netherlands),
- Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow (Scotland), and
- Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A (Poland).
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, 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."
“We are confident in Remontowa’s ability, and have worked with them before, most recently with the delivery of the MV Finlaggan in 2011. We will now enter a 10-day standstill period before finalising the contract.”
In all, CMAL owns 26 harbors on the west coast of Scotland which support the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS). CMAL owns 37 ferries: 32 vessels are leased to CalMac Ferries Ltd on routes to the islands and peninsulas of the west of Scotland. Five vessels are leased to Serco Northlink Ferries for Orkney and Shetland routes.
