The two new ferries that will serve the Little Minch routes will be named MV Claymore and MV Lochmor, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has announced.
CMAL, which owns the ferries, produced two groups of names with input from people on Harris and North Uist. Nearly 3,000 votes were cast, with MV Claymore and MV Lochmor proving the most popular.
Kevin Hobbs, CMAL chief executive, said: “Following an excellent response to our public naming vote, I thank everyone who got involved in the naming of the two new Little Minch ferries.
“Work is progressing well at Cemre shipyard on MV Claymore and MV Lochmor and we are expecting delivery of both vessels towards the second half of 2025. They will bring welcome additional capacity, reliability and resilience for the island communities.”
Minister for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s really encouraging to see members of the public have their say and choose two fitting names for the new ferries that will operate on the Little Minch routes.
“I very much welcome the continued progress on both vessels and look forward to the MV Claymore and MV Lochmor formally joining the fleet serving the Clyde and Hebrides.”
Robbie Drummond, CalMac chief executive, said: “These vessels will provide much-needed resilience to the Little Minch customers and communities, as well as the wider CalMac network.”
The two new ferries have a clear focus on optimising freight and passenger accommodation, with capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars or 14 commercial vehicles. This will improve the overall resilience of the wider fleet.
These are two of six new vessels CMAL is focussed on delivering by the end of 2025.
The Small Vessel Replacement Programme will also get under way in 2024 with plans to deliver seven smaller “loch class” vessels in the first phase and three more in the second phase.
This means 50 per cent of the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services will be renewed before the end of the decade, bringing the average age of the fleet to below 15 years.