The newest ferry in Scotland has arrived on the Clyde following a 4,400‑nautical‑mile delivery voyage from a shipyard in Turkey.
The 5,851-ton newbuild MV Isle of Islay, which is to serve CalMac, was handed over from the Cemre shipyard, made its voyage through the Mediterranean, and berthed on the Clyde on Sunday. This saw the morning arrival of the twin-funnelled ferry to the Inchgreen Dock in Greenock after a voyage of approximately a month; however, the ferry encountered stormy seas and notably carried out a dramatic rescue off the coast of North Africa.
The 450-passenger car ferry, which is owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd., will be chartered to CalMac to serve the residents of its namesake island in the Inner Hebrides. In addition to those at the nearby Isle of Jura, which is connected by another non-CalMac ferry.
On its maiden arrival, Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney (see related story), welcomed the ferry.
Commenting on his social media, Mr. Swinney said, "Delighted to see MV Isle of Islay arrive in Scotland—a welcome addition to [CalMac’s] fleet.
He added, "My warmest thanks to the crew for handling a challenging journey with great skill and to everyone who has played a part in making this happen.”
The Herald has further coverage of the first of the twin newbuilds to serve the southwest Scottish isle.
