The lead bidder for Scotland’s new fleet of loch-class electric ferries has been identified, with Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdańsk, Poland, set to build seven vessels under the Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP).
The contract, managed by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), is subject to a 10-day standstill period before being finalised. The fully electric ferries will play a crucial role in improving connectivity for Scotland’s island communities and reducing the carbon footprint of ferry travel. The first vessel is expected to enter service in 2027.
The SVRP aims to enhance the resilience of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network by replacing ageing vessels with modern, environmentally friendly alternatives. Six shipyards were invited to tender for the contract, with five submitting bids:
- Cammell Laird (England)
- Cemre Marin Endustri A.S. (Turkey)
- Damen Offshore and Specialized Vessels B.V. (Netherlands)
- Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow (Scotland)
- Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. (Poland)
Bids were evaluated against technical (65%) and financial (35%) criteria by a panel of third-party marine specialists and CMAL experts. Remontowa received the highest score, making it the winning bidder.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, welcomed the progress, stating:
“I welcome this milestone being reached in the procurement to build and deliver seven new small vessels to our ferry network. These new vessels will help improve connectivity and resilience for island residents, businesses, and communities. Their electric operation will also contribute to reduced carbon emissions from Scotland’s ferry fleet, making ferry travel more sustainable.”
CMAL Chief Executive Kevin Hobbs mentioned the importance of public procurement rules and value for money, saying:
“It is our responsibility to follow the Public Procurement Strategy for Scotland and appoint a yard capable of producing quality vessels that meet the needs of islanders while delivering the best value for the public purse. We are confident in Remontowa’s ability, having worked with them before, most recently with the delivery of MV Finlaggan in 2011.”
Renewing Scotland’s Ferry Fleet
The seven electric ferries will serve key routes across Scotland, including:
- Colintraive—Rhubodach (Bute)
- Lochaline—Fishnish (Mull)
- Tarbert (Loch Fyne)—Portavadie (Peninsula)
- Iona—Fionnphort (Mull)
- Sconser—Raasay (Raasay)
- Tobermory—Kilchoan (Mull)
- Tayinloan—Gigha (Gigha)
Additionally, Largs—Cumbrae and Oban—Lismore will benefit from cascading existing vessels and improved port infrastructure.
CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison highlighted the impact of the SVRP, stating:
“Confirming the lead bidder is a significant milestone for CalMac, and we’re excited to welcome new, modern small vessels to the fleet from 2027 onwards. These seven new vessels, combined with six major new ferries arriving in 2025 and 2026, mean that a third of our fleet will have been renewed.”
With the contract award approaching finalisation, Scotland’s ferry network, say the organisation, is set for a modern, sustainable, and more resilient future.
This Ferry looks like it doesn’t know if it is coming or going.
Poland is probably a better choice given the previous mess.
In theory all British and Polish yards should be too busy building for the military.
No wonder there is a general lack of confidence everyone seems indecisive apart from the Americans and the less said about that the better.
Oh really? The tariffs have been in out shake it all about the past month. American companies are doing their nuts over the insecurity of unpredictable de isions. And even if they were not indecisive as Karoline Leavett in full mis direction for her boss would have us believe its cutting off much of the economy at the knees as interestingly enough even Tesla has come out and stated. No probably best to keep away from that form of erratic and delusional ‘decisiveness’.
Not sure why all Polish yards should be busy with naval building. Poland has very little in terms of ports, just the Gydnia/Gdansk Harbour complex, and very little in terms of Naval interests; the Baltic is largely a NATO lake now, and unlike Finland and Sweden the Polish coast does not have a lot of places for corvettes and missile boats to hide, and in terms of Frigates Poland is building it’s biggest Frigate fleet to date.
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Sensible decision. In service from 2027 is nice and prompt.
Pity the UKs yards couldn’t get a viable winning bid together.
Probably more Scottish yard not getting a viable bid together. I highly doubt Cammell Laird would get it regardless. It’s too politically explosive
Yet the UK builds its warships in Scotland. About time the Scottish government became a team player.
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I’m just glad Ferguson Marine did not get the contract. Turns out the welding work that was done on the MV Glen Sannox might not last 2 years.
SNP surrendering any right to bitch about Westminster not supporting the Clyde I see.
Oh they will still find someway to blame Westminster
Westminster builds in Scotland, Scottish firm builds in Poland. Oops!
Have UKDJ been able to confirm that the increased capacity electricity supplies required have been costed, funded and timelines are suitable for vessel delivery dates?
I’ve never seen an announcement on this and in some cases the work involved may be much more and take longer than actually building the ferries
That is a very well made point.
Presumably they will charge at the mainland departure point? So it doesn’t stress the island’s connector?
Will probably be like the LNG on the others – better to use diesel?
Cammell Laird did a roro ferry for Red Funnel a couple of years ago. Shame they didn’t get the contract. I wonder if it’s becuase they the time they can can deliver it. They have the Mersey Ferry to complete and frigate sections to complete.
Excellent news for welding! Rumours abound that all future Type 26 hulls are to be made in Poland too. Type 31’s to be made in South Korea ( biters beware, infantry veteran humour )
Good job you turned up, Humour is totally lacking here. Mostly Stuffy argumentative types nowadays.
DM will tell you a bit later.
DM is one guy who l rate highly. His knowledge base is very broad. And yeah, you are right some people need to learn about humour.
Something discernibly funny might have been more welcome mind, if you have to state it’s supposed to be humorous you start out at a definite disadvantage to the comedy store players..
The LPG ferries were a political point from the SNP that pushed the yard too far.
However, given the importance of ship building skills to Scotland, i struggle to understand why these contracts have gone abroad given that Fergusons have delivered such before and could do again.
Yes, the foreign yard was cheaper, but we are outside of the EU now and so the SNP would have had more scope to go with best for society if it wanted. Unless the Polish yard was substantially cheaper
I happen to think that someone was so impressed with how well the Polish workers performed in Scotland building the QE’s and T26’s that they were more than happy giving this work to the Polish Motherland. Poland produce many great products that we as a Country seem to not know about.
Sorry are u joking ? The uk is more than capable of building some pretty basic ferry’s and the QE were not build by the polish my god work on them went to every corner of the UK things like these need to be kept in country this is why we are fading away as a nation
Sorry, no I’m not. Go actually do a google and see what nationalities were employed to build the QE’s….. Let me know what you learn, tell us your feelings.
There were Bulgarian guys there as well. Lots of skilled former EU nationals have stayed on thankfully. Agriculture would fold completely without them.
Maybe the shipbuilding and industrial strategies should be looking at yards that can handle OPV’s, Cutters, CPV’s, Ferries and other smaller ships and boats? We won’t get them cheaper, but we’ll get the skills and money flowing into the UK economy.
BAE’s books should be full when we are looking at River replacements, don’t know if they could realistically work replacements in.
There will be capacity in the Babcock build sheds to do this?
Every body knows getting a good deal for “taxpayers” (whowever they are; the Tory rich I guess) means buying everything wherever it is cheapest: unless you understand Economics (or National Economics, as it should be called.) But Politicians, who know a bit about everything but not much about a lot, do not understand National Economics); neither do their Accountants who control Purchasing Decisions. In fact, this costs Scotland and the Scottish Treasury millions. Instead of earning bonuses and promotions these bean-counters should be sacked without pensions. 100 million spent abroad is gone for ever. 150 millions spent in Scotland is spent again and again in Scotland (money spent within an economy is passed on and goes around and around). Within 5 years, of 150 million spent in Scotland around 100 million will end in the Scottish Treasury as income (as taxation mostly). But if this is too intellectual for you; imagine this: everybody in Scotland should buy everything from China because that will be cheaper and save them money; and that will be a good deal for Scottisch folk because they will all save money and therefore all Scots will be richer. Common sense! Unless the economy collapses because all the wealth ends up in China or Poland; which is exactly what our Politicans and Bean-Counters are doing.
Spot on, exactly what I was going to say.
Short term savings for long term pain. It’s the reason Trump has brought in tariffs, but most who comment on it cannot grasp this pretty simple concept.
Nice to see SNP/Labour’s industrial strategy in full flow, contracts going abroad, welds springing open on overdue over-priced ferries cannot wait for the final decision unsaving British Steel!
This seems a little ironic – no?