New Turkish-built CalMac ferry Isle of Islay delayed again

The delivery date of the first Turkish-built ferry ordered by CalMac has been pushed back again due to a delay in sea trials.

According to a letter from the government-owned ferries procurement company CMAL, the first of the fleet, the MV Isle of Islay, will not meet an anticipated delivery date of 30 September due to sea trials still needing to take place.

MV Isle of Islay is one of four new ferries being built for Scotland’s west coast routes by the Cemre shipyard at Yalova in Turkey.

The contract was awarded in March 2022 with delivery expected last October but after a series of delays it is now likely to enter service later this year.

In the letter to the net zero, energy and transport committee, CMAL confirmed that the vessel has undergone two sets of sea trials in the Sea of Marmara.

However it is yet to undertake the CMAL acceptance trials, which they hope will take place in mid-September.

CMAL also confirmed that the vessel’s internal lifts and roll-on/roll-off gear have yet to be completed.

The letter said: “We are very aware of the need to expedite delivery of this ‘first in class’ vessel for the benefit of the island communities and likewise the shipyard is fully focussed on delivery as efficiently as possible.

“We do not anticipate any major issues to arise in the CMAL acceptance trials but until successfully completed we cannot accurately predict a date for delivery.

“It is however clear that delivery will not be achieved within September 2025.”

Once the ferry passes acceptance trials, it will begin a two-week journey via Gilbratar and the Bay of Biscay, off the west coast of France, to Scottish waters.

It will then undergo a “period of familiarisation” with the ports it will operate from.

The MV Isle of Islay will operate on the Kennacraig to Islay route.

The vessel was launched on time in March last year and was due to enter service in October 2024.

But it has faced a series of setbacks including delays in delivery of equipment and materials due to global supply chain difficulties.

The update confirmed that progress is continuing on the other three ferries in the fleet being built in Turkey.

The MV Loch Indaal and MV Lochmor have both been launched while the last ferry, the MV Claymore, remains on the slipway.