First of seven new Scottish ferries start build in Poland

Construction has formally begun on the first two vessels in a seven-ship programme ordered by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, with Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland marking the start of work this week.

A keel-laying ceremony was held for the first ferry, while steel was cut for the second, confirming that the Small Vessel Replacement Programme has moved into full production.

The ferries are being built at Remontowa Shipbuilding’s yard in Gdańsk and are intended to replace ageing vessels operating on routes along Scotland’s west coast and across the Hebrides. CMAL, which owns ferries and ports on behalf of the Scottish Government, has described the programme as central to improving resilience, reliability and service quality across the network.

Each vessel will be capable of operating in electric mode throughout the day, using four azimuth thrusters powered by lithium-ion batteries with a combined capacity of around 5.7 MWh. According to the shipbuilder, this configuration will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and noise, while also improving comfort for passengers and crew. The ships will be able to carry up to 150 passengers and 24 cars.

The design has been developed jointly by Norwegian naval architects LMG Marin and Remontowa’s own Marine Design and Consulting team. The ferries will be built to meet Lloyd’s Register ECO notation, reflecting the programme’s emphasis on meeting stringent environmental standards as part of wider efforts to decarbonise maritime transport.

The first vessel is scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2027, with the second following around three months later. These are the first deliveries within the seven-ferry order, which is expected to provide a common platform for multiple routes and simplify long-term maintenance and support.

Remontowa Shipbuilding is not new to work for Scottish operators. Between 2005 and 2011, the yard delivered three passenger and vehicle ferries for services linking destinations on the west coast and the Western Isles. The company says the latest programme builds on that experience, combining proven shipyard capability with new propulsion and energy systems suited to future operational requirements.