Scotland’s CMAL and Remontowa to Build Seven New Electric Ferries

Scotland’s state-owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) and Polish shipbuilder Remontowa Shipbuilding have officially signed a contract for the construction of seven new Loch-class electric ferries. This partnership comes as part of the “Small Vessel Replacement Program” initiated by CMAL in 2021.

The new fleet of electric ferries is aimed at supporting island communities and enhancing the resilience of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry fleet. The first of these vessels is expected to be delivered in 2027, with a total of seven ships to be constructed in the first phase of the program.

CMAL’s investment of £160 million ($207.6 million) from the Scottish Government will fund the project, with the shipbuilding contract valued at £147.5 million. The remaining £12.5 million includes a 3% budget contingency and other ancillary costs associated with the project.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, expressed her satisfaction with the contract signing, stating, “CMAL signing the contract to build seven new small vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides fleet is a significant step in our ferries improvement programme.”

Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive of CMAL, also shared his enthusiasm, remarking, “As we work to rejuvenate the Scottish ferry fleet and accompanying infrastructure, we are replacing up to 16 new vessels in the next six years.”

Remontowa has a history of successful deliveries to Scotland, having previously built MV Finlaggan, MV Bute, and MV Argyle. Michał Jaguszewski, Director of Commerce at Remontowa, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to deliver high-quality ferries that will benefit communities across Scotland with increased resilience and lower emissions.

CMAL will now collaborate closely with Remontowa to progress to the next phase of the contract, focusing on completing detailed designs for the vessels in the coming months.