By
Michele Witthaus |
Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has commissioned a new RoRo ferry at a cost of £41.8 million to serve the Stornoway-Ullapool route.
With capacity for 700 passengers and 143 cars or 20 commercial vehicles and capable of 24-hour operation, the 116m-long vessel will have a service speed of 19.2 knots compared to 17.5 knots on existing ferries on the route. CMAL has selected Germany’s Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft to build the vessel following a competitive tender process.
Scottish transport minister Keith Brown said: “Today’s announcement sees a significant investment of nearly £42 million in Scotland’s ferry fleet and builds on work being driven forward to enhance and upgrade Scotland’s ferry services.”
The ferry will consume a quarter less fuel than MV Isle of Lewis and MV Muirneag, which currently work the Western Isles route. It will be faster, quieter and more robust in bad weather and will be adaptable to accommodate potential growth in traffic.
Along with fuel efficiency, reliability is a key aim of the design, with a combined mechanical/electrical propulsion drive system to give extensive system redundancy and allow for maintenance during operation to minimise down time.
Brown added: “Combining all of the benefits of the new vessel with the upgrades to both Stornoway and Ullapool harbours being taken forward with harbour trusts, this will mean users on this vital route can soon look forward to an enhanced package of ferry facilities.”
The commissioning of the ferry fulfils a commitment in the Scottish Government’s draft ferries plan. Delivery of the new vessel is scheduled for June 2014 and CMAL will charter the vessel to the operator of the route under the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract. Finance for the newbuild has been secured through an operating lease with Lloyds Banking Group.