CMAL Selects Turkish Shipyard for Second Ferry Order

The value of the contract has not been announced but is expected to be around £115m (US$137m), close to the value of an existing contract between the Scottish Government-owned company and Cemre Marin for two 95m ro-pax ferries to serve Islay in the southern Hebrides. 

Formalisation of the contract will follow a 10-day standstill period. The expected delivery dates will be announced in January 2023.

The two new vessels will be built to the same specifications as the existing ferries under construction at Cemre for Islay. The Motorship previously reported that the ro-pax design are expected to carry about 450 passengers and 100 cars, with a freight load intake of 14 heavy goods vehicle of 34t, or 11 of 44t. The design specifies a diesel-electric power and propulsion system, and will also feature an energy storage system (ESS). CMAL expects that this will accelerate the replacement of the major vessel fleet and provide a more standardised vessel type that can be used on a variety of different routes.