Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has taken ownership of the three remaining vessels under construction at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey as a precautionary measure to support their completion and delivery.
The vessels, MV Loch Indaal, MV Lochmor and MV Claymore, are now assets owned by CMAL.
The decision has been taken against the backdrop of exceptionally challenging economic circumstances affecting Cemre and many businesses within the region, including global economic pressures such as the impacts of the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, together with disruption in the Red Sea.
By taking ownership of the vessels ahead of formal handover, CMAL is acting in the interests of protecting the project and ensuring the continued delivery of much-needed vessels for Scotland’s island communities.
The announcement follows the successful completion of sea trials for MV Loch Indaal, marking a significant milestone in the construction programme.
Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive of CMAL, said: “While we are disappointed by the circumstances that have led to this decision, our priority remains the completion of these vessels for the communities that depend on them.
“Taking ownership of the vessels at this stage is a precautionary move to reduce risk, protect the investment already made and support our objective of bringing these vessels into service as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“We will continue to work closely with the shipyard and partners to maintain progress towards delivery.”
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport Stephen Flynn said:
“The Scottish Government is committed to renewing the CalMac fleet for the benefit of our Island and coastal communities.
“Our full focus is on delivering the remaining vessels currently under construction at the Cemre yard, to improve the long-term resilience and reliability of ferry services. We fully support the approach CMAL has taken to secure ownership of the vessels ahead of formal handover helping to ensure their delivery, while protecting public investment.
“CMAL are working at pace to set out the next steps to ensure the ships are available in the CalMac fleet as soon as possible.
“I will continue to engage with local communities and stakeholders throughout the completion and deployment of these vessels.”
Duncan Mackison, Chief Executive of CalMac, said: “I can reassure island communities that this measure has no immediate impact on the service we provide. We have two major vessels operating as resilience vessels this summer, in part thanks to the arrival of MV Isle of Islay. She has proven to be a valuable and highly regarded addition to the fleet and we will continue to support CMAL and our partners as we move towards completion of her sister ships.”
The three vessels form part of a wider programme of investment to renew Scotland’s ferry fleet and strengthen resilience across the network. Alongside the programme at Cemre, CMAL is progressing the Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP) at Remontowa Shipyard in Poland and the construction of two new freight-flex vessels in China for the Northern Isles, supported by significant harbour infrastructure investment across Scotland.
