Remontowa Shipbuilding to build seven electric ferries for CMAL

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has identified Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk, Poland, as lead bidder for a contract to build seven loch-class electric ferries.

Electric ferry initiative

The Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP) will see seven fully electric vessels built in the first phase. Three more will be delivered in phase two of the project, which will be procured through a separate competitive tender process later in 2025.

The electric ferries will help support island communities and improve the resilience of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network, CMAl says, with delivery of the first vessel expected in 2027.

The cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop said, “I welcome this milestone being reached in the procurement to build and deliver seven new small vessels to our ferry network. These seven new vessels will help improve connectivity and resilience for island residents, businesses and communities, and their electric operation will contribute to reduced carbon emissions from Scotland’s ferry fleet and make ferry travel more sustainable.

“I appreciate all the work that has gone into getting us to this important stage of the procurement process, particularly by CMAL, and am hopeful that we can look forward to contracts being signed at the end of the required standstill period.”

Tender process

Following an initial exercise to identify suitably qualified and experienced shipyards, six were invited to tender for the contract, with five yards returning responses. Bids were assessed against technical and financial criteria, with a 65%/35% weighting, respectively. The panel scoring the bids consisted of third-party marine specialists and experts from CMAL. When scores across criteria were combined, Remontowa’s bid achieved the highest score and was identified as the winning yard.

Kevin Hobbs, chief executive of CMAL, commented, “It is our responsibility to follow the Public Procurement Strategy for Scotland and appoint a yard capable of producing quality vessels that meet the needs of islanders, but that also deliver the best value for the public purse. We are confident in Remontowa’s ability and have worked with them before, most recently with the delivery of the MV Finlaggan in 2011. We will now enter a 10-day standstill period before finalizing the contract.”

Duncan Mackison, CEO of CalMac, added, “Confirming the lead bidder is a significant milestone for CalMac, and we’re excited to welcome new, modern small vessels to the fleet from 2027 onward. Small vessels are an integral part of our operation, and new tonnage will allow us to improve the resilience of our service and the experience customers have on these routes. These seven new vessels, when combined with the six major new vessels joining the fleet in 2025 and 2026, will mean a third of our entire fleet has been renewed.”

In related news, Transport Scotland recently began the procurement process for seven electric ferries for the Clyde and Hebrides to help support island communities and improve the resilience of the ferries network. Click here to read the full story.