Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has selected Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. of China to secure a contract for the construction of two new multi-purpose freight vessels, which will operate on the Aberdeen–Kirkwall/Lerwick route.
The 140m long freight flex ferries will replace the Helliar and Hildasay on the service operated by Serco NorthLink Ferries. They will provide extra freight capacity and capability for quicker crossings on the routes, and will have the flexibility to allow space for up to 200 passengers to travel at peak periods.
Following an initial exercise to identify suitably qualified and experienced shipyards, four were invited to tender for the contract.
Bids were robustly assessed against technical and financial criteria, with a 70%/30% weighting, respectively. The panel scoring the bids consisted of third-party specialists and CMAL experts.
When scores across criteria were combined, GSI’s bid achieved the highest score and was identified as the winning yard.
Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive of CMAL said: “GSI’s bid demonstrated a commitment to innovation and efficiency, and we are confident they will deliver a reliable, robust pair of vessels to support the Northern Isles Ferry Service for years to come. This commitment is underpinned by strong workforce policies and internationally recognised environmental and safety management standards.”
“We will now enter a 10-day standstill period, before finalising the contract on the 24th March.”