Kevin Hobbs News

Scotland's Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) announced that one of its new vessels will be named Glen Rosa following a public vote that saw nearly 5,000 entries.4,844 votes were cast in the competition on CMAL’s website, which ran for three weeks. Glen Rosa, which will be known as Gleann Ruasaidh in Gaelic, was the most popular name, garnering 52% of the votes.The vessel currently known as Hull 802, along with Glen Sannox, is currently under construction at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow…

The construction of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd's (CMAL) two new ferries for Islay is officially underway after a steel-cutting ceremony at Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Turkey on Monday.The new 94.8-meter vehicle passenger ferries will each have capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars or 14 commercial vehicles, providing a combined 40% increase in vehicle and freight capacity on the Islay routes and improving the overall resilience of the wider fleet. Carbon reduction…

Turkish shipbuilder Cemre said it has been awarded a contract to build two new ferries for Scotland’s Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL).The vessels, which will operate in the busiest service route on the Clyde and Hebrides network, will be 95 meters long with capacity of  275-lanemeter for HGVs on the main deck and a total of 107 cars on both main and hoistable decks. It is expecting to increase 40% the freight and vehicle capacity on the Islay and Jura routes while reducing…

The two freight ferries serving the Northern Isles have been bought by the Scottish government. Vessels MV Helliar and MV Hildasay will join the Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) fleet, having previously been chartered from Fortress.The sister vessels operate on the lifeline routes from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, Orkney and Lerwick, said a press note from CMAL, which owns 26 piers and harbours around Scotland.Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Our ferry services are iconic transport links that play a vital role for our island economies, so it’s important that we secure the two freight ferries for the future.“Purchasing the vessels outright will also bring financial benefits by delivering savings to the public purse over the longer term.

A deal has been agreed for the three passenger ferries serving the Northern Isles to be purchased outright by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) with loan funding from the Scottish Government. The MV Hamnavoe, MV Hrossey and MV Hjaltland, which have previously been leased from Royal Bank of Scotland, will be taken into CMAL ownership. An 18 month extension to the current Northern Isles Ferry Services contract has also been agreed to allow further progress to be made with the ongoing review of procurement policy. Serco NorthLink Ferries will continue to operate the services until 31st October 2019 under the extended contract. Minister…

U.K. shipping and transport group Crescent PLC has focused its operations on short sea tanker and freight ferry operations. "Following our strategic plan to move out of owning tonnage in the short sea dry bulk sector, we are happy to have completed the sale of nine vessels over the last year," says Kevin Hobbs, Crescent group operations director. "That has cleared the way for us to focus on the two sectors where we can add value. That is our high-intensity coastal tanker fleet and our freight ferry operations." "We are now in a strong position to expand, and having moved out of what we consider a sector with less promise, we are now actively researching opportunities in coastal tanker and ferry trades," says Hobbs.

U.K. shipping and transport group Crescent has unified its ownership structure. As of June 28, 2002, Crescent is wholly owned by the Bahamas-based Clipper Group. "It has been a great challenge to work with Clipper to focus and develop Crescent after its separation from the Hays transport group. Crescent to benefit from the backing which only a major group like Clipper can provide," says Hutch Wright, who is stepping down as Crescent CEO. and now to take over the company completely. sectors.

SEATRUCK Ferries has celebrated the christening of the first of five new ferries, the Clipper Point, at Astilleros de Huelva in Spain. When it enters service early in 2007, the Clipper Point will be by far the largest and most powerful vessel to operate from Heysham. Working on the Seatruck route to Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland, the vessel can carry over 120 units, doubling the capacity of the current Seatruck vessels. Service speed will be an impressive 22 knots, reducing crossing times from 9 to 6.5 hours. To cope with the new vessel, Heysham Port is undertaking a significant investment in new facilities, including the provision of a brand new double-width ramp to permit more efficient vessel handling.

Crescent Tankships, part of the U.K. shipping group Crescent, has ordered two innovative 3,500 dwt chemical and oil tankers from the Rousse Shipyard, Bulgaria. The order, accompanied by a series of options, follows the acquisition by Crescent this week of the Camilla, a 1,880 dwt 1998-built high specification product tanker. "These orders, our first newbuildings since 1989, and the acquisition of the Camilla, show our confidence in the future of the clean products market in Europe," says Rob Bennett, managing director of Crescent Tankships. For delivery in fourth quarter 2003, the two newbuildings will be Lloyd's Register class and British flag. being double skinned throughout their length.

Heysham-based Seatruck Ferries has drydocked its freight ferry MV Moondance with newly formed North Western Ship Repairers, using Birkenhead's Bidston dock. The dock is not far from the Camell Lairds facility, and North Western is led by John Syvret (ex-MD of Camell Lairds. Seatruck is the first company to use North West for a full drydocking. Kevin Hobbs MD of Seatruck, says, "We are delighted that North Western has stepped in to offer the quality service that we require. Merseyside has once again proved itself as a center of excellence for ship repair and conversion. Seatruck welcomes the new facility that is well placed to provide for its needs on their Irish Sea route.