Scotland’s plan to modernize its key ferry fleet continues to face delays and delivery issues. The BBC reported that all three ferries commissioned by the Caledonian Maritime Asset Management (CMAL) from Turkey’s Cemre Shipyard are facing delivery delays, while construction costs have risen by approximately $27 million—an increase of nearly 10 percent compared to the initial budget.
Amid the severe financial crisis facing Cemre Shipyard, CMAL took an unconventional step in June 2026 to mitigate shipbuilding risks and safeguard its investment: it paid £23 million to assume ownership of the three ferries the yard was building for it. This move ensures that, should the Turkish shipyard unfortunately go bankrupt, CMAL—as the vessel owner—has the right to tow the three under-construction ferries to another shipyard to complete their construction and bring them into service.
The undelivered ferry project at Cemre Shipyard originated eight years ago as part of CMAL’s 10-year investment plan—backed by a Scottish Government commitment of £580 million for the 2021–2026 period—which aims to add 21 new vessels and upgrade existing port infrastructure over the coming decade.
In April 2018, the Scottish Government first announced the plan to build these new ferries (hereinafter referred to as the “Islands Ferry Project”); in 2019, CMAL initiated the design phase, planning to order four passenger-vehicle ferries for deployment on routes serving locations such as Islay—the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides off Scotland’s west coast.
Having learned from the painful lessons of the construction of the United Kingdom’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel ferries—the “Glen Sannox” and the “Glen Rosa”—which took a full decade from order placement to delivery, CMAL emphasized at the time that it would establish a rigorous shipyard selection process for the island ferry project.
The tender for the 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 worth 91 million pounds for the construction of two ferries; in February 2023, the two parties signed another contract for the construction of two sister vessels 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 this ferry 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; several recent construction milestones were even completed three weeks ahead of schedule.”
However, the positive momentum was 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, before it was officially delivered. After sailing from Turkey to Scotland and completing sea trials and crew training, the vessel did not officially enter service until March 2026.
However, the situation did not remain favorable for long; after the first two ferries were launched, delays began to mount. The “Isle of Islay”, originally scheduled for delivery in October 2024, was not officially handed over until January 15, 2026. Following its voyage from Turkey to Scotland and the completion of sea trials and crew training, the vessel finally entered service in 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 postponed to October 2026, and it will still require two months after delivery before it can officially carry passengers; The third vessel, the “Lochmor,” and the fourth, the “Claymore,” were launched on August 23, 2025, and in May 2026, respectively, with their delivery dates both postponed to the second quarter of 2027. The “Lochmor” is scheduled to undergo sea trials in November 2026.
CMAL believes that the severe global situation is the main reason for the delays in the ferry’s construction.
Excluding 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.
In addition, in March 2026, CMAL placed an order with Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, for two new-generation ro-pax vessels. Upon delivery, these vessels will be deployed on the route from Aberdeen in northern Scotland to Kirkwall/Lewes, replacing older vessels that have been in service for nearly three decades.