Scotland’s plan to modernize its key ferry fleet continues to face delays and delivery setbacks. According to the BBC, all three ferries commissioned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) from Turkey’s Cemre Shipyard are facing delayed delivery; meanwhile, shipbuilding costs have risen by approximately $27 million, an increase of nearly 10% over the original budget.
According to reports, given the severe financial crisis facing Cemre Shipyard, CMAL took an unconventional step in June 2026 to mitigate shipbuilding risks and protect its invested capital—it paid 23 million pounds to assume ownership of the three ferries that Cemre Shipyard was building for it. This means that, should the Turkish shipyard unfortunately go bankrupt, CMAL, as the shipowner, would have the right to tow the three ferries under construction to other shipyards to complete the remaining construction work until they are delivered and put into service.
The project for three ferries undertaken by Cemre Shipyard began eight years ago as part of CMAL’s 10-year investment plan. The Scottish Government has committed to investing €580 million in the plan between 2021 and 2026, with the project aiming to add 21 new vessels and upgrade existing port infrastructure over the next 10 years. In April 2018, the Scottish Government first announced this new ferry construction plan. In 2019, CMAL began design work, planning to order four ro-ro passenger ferries to be deployed on routes such as the one to the Isle of Ayle, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides off Scotland’s west coast.
Having learned hard lessons from the construction of the UK’s first LNG dual-fuel ferries—the “Glen Sannox” and “Glen Rosa”, which took a full decade from order to delivery—CMAL emphasized at the time that it would implement a rigorous shipyard selection process for this island ferry project.
The tender for this island ferry project was launched in 2021. A total of 11 shipyards submitted bids, and four candidate shipyards were ultimately selected: Damen Shipyards in Romania, Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland, Sefine Denizcilik Tersanecilik Turizm in Turkey, and Cemre Shipyard.
In March 2022, following a “rigorous evaluation of technical and financial criteria,” CMAL ultimately selected Cemre Shipyard as the preferred bidder and signed a contract for the construction of two ferries valued at €91 million; in February 2023, the two parties signed another contract for the construction of two sister ships of the same class.
With a length of 95 meters, this ferry can accommodate 450 passengers and 100 passenger cars or 14 commercial vehicles. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in October 2024, the second in early 2025, and the third and fourth are scheduled for delivery in June and October 2025, respectively.
The first vessel in the series, the “Isle of Islay,” was launched on March 16, 2024; at that time, CMAL still stated that the vessel would be delivered in October 2024. The second vessel, the “Loch Indaal,” which was launched shortly thereafter (in June 2024), is scheduled for delivery in February 2025. At the time, CMAL commented on the project’s progress, stating: “The construction progress of this batch of island ferries is encouraging; in fact, several recent construction milestones were even completed three weeks ahead of schedule.”
However, the good times were short-lived. After the first two ferries were launched, delays in the project gradually became apparent. The “Isle of Islay,” originally scheduled for delivery in October 2024, was delayed until January 15, 2026. After sailing from Turkey to Scotland and completing sea trials and crew training, the vessel did not officially enter service until March 2026.
The “Loch Indaal”, originally scheduled for delivery in February 2025, is currently in the final stages of construction; its delivery is expected to be delayed until October 2026, with a further two-month period required after handover before it can officially carry passengers. The third and fourth vessels, the “Lochmor” and the “Claymore”, are set to be launched on August 23, 2025, and in May 2026, respectively, with their delivery dates both postponed to the second quarter of 2027. Notably, the “Lochmor” is scheduled to undergo sea trials in November 2026.
CMAL believes that the challenging global situation is the primary reason for the delays in the ferry’s construction.
In addition to the three island ferries yet to be delivered by Cemre Shipyard, CMAL’s second LNG dual-fuel ferry, the “Glen Rosa,” is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026—a delay of up to eight years from the original schedule. Additionally, in March 2026, CMAL placed an order with Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, for two next-generation ro-ro passenger ferries. Upon delivery, these vessels will be deployed on the route from Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lewes in northern Scotland, replacing aging vessels that have been in service for nearly three decades.