Caledonian Macbrayne News

Ferries serving the Western Isles and West Coast of Scotland could soon be powered by hydrogen generated from onshore island wind power, according to a newly published feasibility study.The Scottish Western Isles Ferry Transport Using Hydrogen (SWIFTH2) project, which was led by the Point and Sandwick Trust in collaboration with seven industry partners including Wood, was part-funded by the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme.The project team also included Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, ITM Power, ENGIE, Ferguson Marine Engineering, Caledonia Marine Assets Ltd and Johnston Carmichael.The study assessed the feasibility of deploying hydrogen-powered passenger ferries on nine existing Caledonian MacBrayne ferry routes servicing the Western Isles.

Ferguson Marine Shipyard in Port Glasgow, Scotland, is now set to enter public ownership.The Scottish Government has announced that it has reached an agreement with administrators to take the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow into public control.According to government sources, the agreement means two ferries currently under construction at the yard for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) will be completed.A program board has been set up by Scotland's economy secretary Derek Mackay to ensure effective completion of the two ferries being built at Ferguson Marine shipyard.More jobs could be created at newly nationalized Ferguson Marine in order to complete the two vessels which nearly sank the shipyard…

TT-Line Company and European shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) have signed a letter of intent (LoI) for the construction of two new ships to replace the current Spirit of Tasmania vessels. TT-Line chairman Mike Grainger said the companies would now commence contract negotiations and agree to final design specifications. “FSG was endorsed by the Board after the company short listed a number of international shipyards to build the new tailor-made vessels,” he said. FSG is a highly respected and experienced ship builder that has constructed more than 750 vessels  since it was established in 1872. It is currently building cruise ferries for Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries as well as RoRo vessels for the Siem Group.

The Project SEAHORSE consortium, led by the University of Strathclyde, brought together experts from across the maritime world to research and implement safety considerations pioneered by the aviation industry – the first project of its kind in the world. It has been recognized with the Maritime Safety Award from the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in association with Lloyd’s Register. Headed up by Professor Osman Turan from the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Naval Architecture…

U.K. safety training company Stream Marine Training (SMT) has broken ground on a major project to refurbish its newly purchased 20,000 sq ft headquarters at Glasgow Airport. SMT was founded in 2014 by Martin White at smaller premises at Glasgow Airport. SMT specializes in providing firefighting, sea survival, rescue craft and health & safety courses to the maritime, oil and gas, renewables and construction sectors. In just two years SMT has grown turnover rapidly to circa £2 million with 22 full-time staff and 15 consultants.

British shipyard and engineering company Cammell Laird said it plans to unleash an “aggressive exports drive” in 2017 after one of its busiest years for commercial marine work, which saw it land the biggest shipbuilding project in the U.K. for a generation. Cammell Laird CEO John Syvret said the winning of the £150 million contract to build the Sir David Attenborough polar research vessel for the U.K. Government “threw open” a new global market to build a range of high value polar vessels from research to cruise ships.

The number of cars taken by ferry has increased from 8.6 million in 2015 to nearly 8.8 million in 2016, a 1.7% increase. This is the fourth successive year of growth according to the annual results of the ferry industry. 2016 Ferrystat figures released today by Discover Ferries, the industry body for ferry operators, reports that growth for car travel by sea is up by 473,000 in the past four years; up from just 8.3 million car crossings by sea in 2012. Discover Ferries member ferry operators include Brittany Ferries, Caledonian MacBrayne, Condor Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, Northlink, P&O Ferries, Red Funnel, StenaLine and Wightlink.

Parker Bestobell Marine, part of Parker Hannifin, has won a contract to supply cryogenic globe and check valves for two Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries (Calmac) being built at Ferguson Marine Engineering in Glasgow. The valves will be installed in the liquid natural gas (LNG) fuel gas systems of these vessels, which are the first U.K. built ships that will run on this environmentally friendly fuel. The new ferries will be ‘dual-fuel’ vessels so they can operate on both LNG and marine diesel.

CalMac have launched wifi hotspots on their ferries and ports, including at Ardrossan and in Arran. Almost half of the 200-mile long Caledonian MacBrayne network is now live with free public access wi-fi - and the remainder will be completed in early July. In total, the free wifi network will cover four CalMac offices, 31 vessels and 50 ports, harbours and slipways when the project is complete this July. The first vessel to go live was Bute on the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route last February, while Rothesay was the first port to benefit. In total, 88 vessels and land-based locations will be switched on. “We are now almost halfway through the rollout programme for CalMac public access wifi,” said project manager Jim McKillop.

Fuel management technology is helping Scottish ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) to meet its targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Last year the company installed advanced Royston enginei fuel management systems across its entire large vessel fleet – the first UK ferry company to do so – as part of its Project Ecoship program to improve fuel consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under this scheme the company aims to reduce fleet CO2 emissions by 2 per cent…

Scotland-based Ferguson Marine Engineering (FMEL) has signed a deal to build two 100-meter, dual-fuel ferries for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) in a contract worth £97 million (USD 150 million) that will boost shipbuilding on the River Clyde and secure 150 shipyard jobs. Back in August, the government of Scotland named the rejuvenated Scottish yard  as the preferred tenderer for the contract to build the two ferries for the state-backed ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac). FMEL Port Glasgow will design and build the new vessels, testing and equipping them for delivery in 2018. The shipyard has already delivered two hybrid ferries to CMAL and will launch a third in December.

Imtech Marine has appointed Fergus Campbell as the new Director of Imtech Marine USA. Fergus has worked for the Imtech Martine company previously (Radio Holland USA) from 2000 to 2010 as respectively Branch Manager Florida, National Service Manager and National Sales manager. Before Radio Holland, Fergus worked amongst others at Consilium Marine as sales and service manager and at Caledonian MacBrayne as superintendent. In 2010, he pursued his career as General Manager at C-MAR America Inc. in Houston, a leading global marine offshore and DP services provider. Fergus holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and amongst others studied at the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies. André Meijer: “We are happy that Fergus returns to our company.

Birkenhead shipyard and engineering services company Cammell Laird said it has developed an advanced shipyard environmental package for ferries, following its strongest year of trading in the sector. Cammell Laird said it has docked 24 ferries between 2013 and the beginning of 2014 and, in addition, has carried out a further 24 afloat repairs for ferry operators. During 2013 Cammell Laird repaired, built and converted almost 250,000 gross tons of ferry and Ro-Ro ships for a wide range of owners. Already in 2014 it has docked and repaired ferries of 150,000 gross tons.

Adelte, a designer and manufacturer of sophisticated Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges (SPBBs) for cruise and ferry terminals has recently won eight contracts for the supply in 2014 of a total of eleven tailor-made SPBBs to the ports of Rotterdam, Stornoway, Swinoujscie and Ullapool in Northern Europe, Denia and Savona in Southern Europe and Busan and Singapore in Asia. Adelte has been awarded a contract by the Rotterdam Port Authority to install this summer a new KRONUS SPBB, which will replace the current system.

Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has beaten 13 major ferry companies to be named for the fourth year in a row, “Best Ferry Company” in the prestigious Guardian and Observer Travel Awards. The award, which is the result of an annual poll of readers who are asked to rate the quality of service they received on their holidays across the world, is CalMac’s fourth award in 2013. He added: “The timing of all these awards could not be better as we prepare to bid for the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) wins award for its support of trade union-led training in the workplace. The award, from Scottish Union Learning in the Highlands and Islands, was presented to the company at an awards dinner held in Inverness recently to celebrate 10 years of union-led learning in the Highlands and Islands. It was accepted on behalf of CalMac by the Managing Director of David MacBrayne (HR) UK Ltd, Wendy Allardes. Scottish Union Learning (SUL) supports trade unions in accessing skills and lifelong learning opportunities for workers across Scotland.

Aker Finnyards and Northlink, a joint venture of Caledonian MacBrayne and Royal Bank of Scotland, have agreed to build two passenger RoRo vessels for the ferry service from the Scottish mainland to Orkney and Shetland for $87 million. A letter of intent was also signed on a third, slightly smaller vessel worth $39.5 million. Measuring 410 ft. (125 m) with a beam of 64 ft. (19.5 m) and 12,000 gt, each vessel will have the capacity for 600 passengers in time for summer 2002.

State-owned ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has been announced as the preferred bidder for the service to Orkney and Shetland from the mainland. The contract was re-advertised two years ago after current operators NorthLink had financial problems. More than $134.5 million in public money was spent keeping the service afloat. According to BBC News, the new service would introduce reduced freight tariffs, a new container system for livestock and more berths. NorthLink, a company jointly owned by CalMac and the Royal Bank of Scotland, is expected to handover the service to CalMac in the summer. Under the six year contract, Orkney will see a 19% reduction in freight tariffs, while Shetland's rates will reduce by 25%. Bids for the ferry route had been submitted by V-Ships UK Ltd and CalMac.

Ken Cadenhead, the former managing director of privately held Western Ferries, left his post last year with $5.7 million after the company bought his 22% stake, The Herald reported. The figure implies Western Ferries, which is locked in a battle with state-subsidized Caledonian-MacBrayne for the Dunoon-Gourock route, has built itself into a company worth $26 million with just one route on the Clyde. Around 10 ferry operators are awaiting tender documents, expected to be issued next month, that could spark a bidding war for the service. Western Ferries operates the rival service to CalMac and attracts the vast majority of vehicular traffic on the route, which logs more than 600,000 car journeys a year.

Since being taken-over in July by A&P Group, the drydock facility in Aberdeen has enjoyed a busy Summer period with a number of vessels undergoing repairs. The shipyard, which has been renamed River Dee Ship Repairers, has extensive workshops and craneage and is an ideal drydocking location for vessels trading in and around the UK East Coast and the North Sea. Vessels drydocked most recently include P&O North Sea Ferries 6,350 grt passenger/car ferry St. Sunniva, which arrived on 5th July for a two-day emergency docking and the 2,042 grt offshore supply vessel Smit Lloyd Fortune from Stirling Shipmanagement, which also arrived for a short emergency docking.

"Ship repair in the U.K. is looking positive for 2003" say the A&P Group, who has confirmed that all 14 of their dry docks are full with various vessels under repair, refit and conversion. A&P Tyne is currently hosting a number of ships including Stirling Shipmanagement's 2,270dwt offshore supply vessel Putford Enterprise, the 2,067dwt offshore supply vessel Pacific Banner owned by Swire Pacific Offshore, Boyd Line's 1,621grt Arctic Warrior and P&O Ferries' 20,446grt PO Kent. Across the river at A&P Tyne's Hebburn facility is Technip Offshore's 9,158grt diving support vessel CSO Wellservicer, which is due to leave the dry dock on January 12 .

Ailsa-Troon is in the midst of its winter refit season, having recently completed work on Saturn and Loch Buie - two ferries operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. The yard is also working on Juno - another vessel for Caledonian, before beginning work on Loch Alainn, Loch Tarbert, Loch Dunvegan, Loch Fyne and Jupiter. Recently, the yard has filled up with various commercial and government owned vessels, including range safety vessel, Petard, and Ixworth, a diving support vessel - both owned by MoD - as well as Salmaster - a mooring and salvage vessel managed by Serco Denholm. Ailsa-Troon also performed work on a 112 ft. (34 m) cutter named Sentinel owned by H.M. Customs & Excise.

A shipyard in crisis has been thrown a lifeline after securing a major ferry contract, according to a report on the Scotsman.com. The Ferguson yard in Port Glasgow in Inverclyde was forced to lay off 100 workers earlier this year when it lost out to a Polish yard for a crucial ferry order for operators Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac). CalMac, which is publicly owned, operates the majority of sea crossings to the islands including Gourock-Dunoon, Now rival firm Western Ferries, which also operates from Dunoon to Gourock, has placed a £500,000 order for a roll on/roll off terminal with Ferguson. The new contract will see facilities at McInroy's Point in Gourock upgraded by March 2006 and is the third to be awarded by Western to the yard in as many years. (Source: Scotsman.com)