News has just been released by Caledonian MacBrayne stating that the order for a new ferry for their Islay services is to be built at the Remontowa Shipyard at Gdansk in Poland. Delivery of the 89.90 metre long vessel is expected to take place in the spring of 2011. The order is reported to be worth £24.5 million and she will be able to carry up to 88 cars as well as coaches and commercial vehicles, and 550 passengers.
Two ferries already operating in the CalMac fleet were built by Remontowa. They are BUTE and ARGYLE, which serve Rothesay from the railhead at Wemyss Bay.
2 comments:
So how is that going down on the Clyde with the remaining ship building industry?
Quite a few people on Islay also think it should be a different type of ferry (e.g. a catamaran) to the one we're now going to get.
As far as I am aware, I don't think that the only remaining builder on the Clyde who would be capable of such work is really too bothered. It was already announced by them that they would not be submitting a tender, citing a lack of engines etc as their reason. Fergusons are actually quite busy at the moment anyway, both with the hover barge I illustrated a few days ago, and with other steelwork projects, which although perhaps not of a marine nature, nevertheless involve many similar skills.
With regard to the design of the new vessel, to say that CalMac can, at times, be somewhat 'traditional' in their outlook, may be a bit of an understatement! ;o)
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