Have your say? CMal asks public to name two new Islay ferries

Scotland’s ferry agency is asking the public to have a say in the naming of two ferries due to come into service over the next two years.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMal) is calling on the public to help choose names for the ferries on the Islay and Jura route.

The vessels are currently under construction at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey, with the first due to enter service in late 2024 and the second in early 2025.

Ferries will have a capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles, increasing capacity on the Islay and Jura routes.

New islay ferries possible names

The shortlisted names are:

• Isle of Islay – the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
• Pioneer – named after a ferry built in 1974 serving West Loch Tarbert and Port Ellen on Islay.
• Loch Gruinart – a sea loch on the north coast of Islay.
• Loch Indaal – a sea loch south of Loch Gruinart on Islay, and inspiration for the folk song – “The Lights of Lochindaal” by Iain Simpson.
• Laggan Bay – home to ‘The Big Strand’, a five-mile-long beach, located on the southeast entrance to Loch Indaal on Islay.
• Machir Bay – a small bay on the west coast of Islay.

You can vote for your favourite name here.

Participants are asked to select their two favourite names. The vote closes on May 14.

Kevin Hobbs, CMal chief executive, said: “The two new vessels for Islay and Jura will be a welcome addition to our fleet of vessels – however they are currently nameless.

“We have a strong list of names with ties to the communities the sister ships will serve, and I look forward to seeing which ones prove most popular.”

‘Encourage the public to have their say’

The Scottish Government hope to deliver the two ferries on time and within budget following the delay in delivering two CalMac ferries, currently under construction.

Minister for Transport Kevin Stewart said: “I’d encourage the public to have their say on the names for these two new vessels, which will bring welcome additional resilience for our island communities served by the Islay routes.

“These new vessels underline the Scottish Government’s commitment to bringing in new ferries and we want to continue to see progress on bringing vessels into service on time and budget.”