Transport Scotland have confirmed that a second-hand ferry has been been bought from a Norwegian ferry company. This is the result of a search by CMAL for suitable second-hand vessels for the CalMac fleet (the same search that we attempted to contribute to by proposing the Indonesian catamaran).
The MV Utne was built in 2015 in Turkey, at about the same time as the MV Loch Seaforth that is currently CalMac’s newest vessel. The Utne is being sold in order to make way for zero-emission battery-electric vessels that are being introduced across Norway.
The Utne was being offered for sale for 6.6 million Euros (£5.6 million), and Transport Scotland estimate the final cost after modification will be around £9 million. Modifications are therefore £3.4 million or thereabouts. She will need new vehicle ramps in order to fit our linkspans, and possibly new winches too, as well as other minor changes, including CalMac livery of course. Although the ferry will be in CMAL hands by the end of October, she will not be ready for service until next summer… more in the printed issue