By
Alex Smith |
Lochmor, the first of two new vessels for Scottish ferry operator Caledonian MacBryne’s (CalMac) Little Minch routes, has been launched at Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Yalova, Turkey.
The launch ceremony was attended by representatives of CalMac’s parent company CMAL and key project stakeholders. The ferry was officially launched by Kay MacLeod, a long serving CalMac employee who works at Tarbert ferry terminal.
“I am delighted that, in Kay MacLeod, Lochmor has been launched by a long-standing CalMac employee who has a steadfast commitment to the islands this vessel will serve,” said Duncan Mackison, CEO of CalMac. “Kay, who has been with CalMac for over three decades, was the perfect candidate to mark this milestone in recognition for the hard work that she and other local colleagues put in to providing a reliable service on our Uig-Tarbert-Lochmaddy route.”
The new ferry, along with sister vessel Claymore, will provide a two-vessel service across the Little Minch strait between the villages of Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy in the Scottish Hebrides islands. Lochmor and Claymore will each be able to accommodate up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles, boosting capacity from the current single ship service provided by the 612-passenger Hebrides.
“It’s great to see another successful launch at Cemre, with the third of four vessels launched in 17 months,” said Kevin Hobbs, CEO of CMAL. “The communities to be served by these vessels will notice a significant improvement in capacity and reliability when Lochmor comes into service next year, and even more so when her sister vessel, Claymore, joins her a few months later.”
Transport Scotland provided £115 million ($156 million) of funding for the Little Minch ferries project in 2022, with some of the budget allocated to port improvements to accommodate the vessels. The contract for the ships’ construction was awarded to Cemre Marin Endustri in February 2023 following a competitive tender process. Lochmor is the third of four vessels being built at the Turkish yard for CMAL.
“I’m delighted to see the successful launch of Lochmor, which marks another significant milestone in our efforts to renew the ferry fleet serving the Clyde and Hebrides network,” said Fiona Hyslop, Scotland’s cabinet secretary for transport. “The Scottish Government is committed to investing in our ferry services, and Lochmor, along with tClaymore and significant port improvements, will deliver our goal of a two-vessel service connecting Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy, improving capacity, frequency and resilience for Harris and North Uist.”
Following its launch, Lochmor will undergo further outfitting and system installations in the water before sea trials take place. The ferry is scheduled to arrive in Scotland later in 2026, after which it will complete crew familiarisation and local operational testing before entering service.