New ferry to start service
"Finlaggan"
The vessel is the first large new building in the CalMac fleet for 10 years. It was built at the Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, and will be the first new ship to serve Islay in almost 40 years.
The 90m long and 16.4 m wide Ro-Ro Euro Class B passenger ferry has a capacity for 550 passengers and 320 lane metres for appr. 85 cars, or the equivalent coaches and commercial vehicles. This marks a 22% increase in passenger capacity and an 11% increase in cars compared to the current provision. The ferry boasts three passenger decks, an observation lounge, reclining seats and quiet lounge, restaurant, shop, children’s play area, two decks of external panoramic seating and two disabled lifts accessing all decks, including the outside upper deck. "Finlaggan" is powered by two Wärtsilä 8L32 main engines of 4,000 kW each providing a vessel's speed of 16.3 knots.
She was handed over to CalMac, by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), who commissioned her on behalf of the Scottish Government. It is planned to put her into service as soon as practical after the naming ceremony, possibly on Thursday or Friday this week. As pier modernisation work is currently underway at Port Ellen, MV Finlaggan will initially sail between Kennacraig and Port Askaig. CalMac Ferries Ltd provides shipping services to the islands off the West Coast of Scotland and in the Clyde estuary. The company operates 31 vessels on 24 routes.
