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First of Two Newbuilds for CalMac’s Islay Services Successfully Launched at Shipyard in Turkey

19th March 2024
MV Isle of Islay, after launching in Turkey at the weekend. The newbuild is the first of twin ferries to serve its island namesake and neighbouring Jura, when it is to enter service in October for operator CalMac.
MV Isle of Islay, after launching in Turkey at the weekend. The newbuild is the first of twin ferries to serve its island namesake and neighbouring Jura, when it is to enter service in October for operator CalMac. Credit: HeraldScotland-facebook

The first newbuild ferry of two to serve Scottish west coast islands, Islay and Jura has been successfully launched at a shipyard in Turkey.

At the Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Yalova, the MV Isle of Islay was launched on Saturday. The newbuild is one of four ferries being built, and is due to go into service with Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) in October.

On the Clyde, more twin ferries, MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, are being built at the Ferguson Marine shipyard at Port Glasgow, however, they have been beset by severe delays, as the twins were due to enter service in 2018. Both are to serve the Arran route, linking Ardrossan and Brodick.

According to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), the MV Isle of Islay will have capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles. The newbuild which will operate the Kennacraig-Port Askaig/Port Ellen routes, will provide a combined 40% increase in vehicle and freight capacity on the Islay routes, bolstering the overall resilience of the wider fleet.

The MV Isle of Islay is now in the water, however, further work remains to complete the newbuild, before sea trials are to take place and the new ferry is handed over to CMAL.

The HeraldScotland has more on the shipyard's launch. 

Published in Shipyards
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Shipyards

Afloat will be focusing on news and developments of shipyards with newbuilds taking shape on either slipways and building halls.

The common practice of shipbuilding using modular construction, requires several yards make specific block sections that are towed to a single designated yard and joined together to complete the ship before been launched or floated out.

In addition, outfitting quays is where internal work on electrical and passenger facilities is installed (or upgraded if the ship is already in service). This work may involve newbuilds towed to another specialist yard, before the newbuild is completed as a new ship or of the same class, designed from the shipyard 'in-house' or from a naval architect consultancy. Shipyards also carry out repair and maintenance, overhaul, refit, survey, and conversion, for example, the addition or removal of cabins within a superstructure. All this requires ships to enter graving /dry-docks or floating drydocks, to enable access to the entire vessel out of the water.

Asides from shipbuilding, marine engineering projects such as offshore installations take place and others have diversified in the construction of offshore renewable projects, from wind-turbines and related tower structures. When ships are decommissioned and need to be disposed of, some yards have recycling facilities to segregate materials, though other vessels are run ashore, i.e. 'beached' and broken up there on site. The scrapped metal can be sold and made into other items.