Scottish hybrid electric ferry completes sea trials

Sea trials for the new Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) MV Isle of Islay ferry were conducted by Cemre Marin Endustri in Yalova, Turkey, in the Sea of Marmara.

Representatives from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), CalMac Ferries, Lloyd’s Register and the Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) were present to oversee key performance evaluations.

“This is a great step forward in the build programme of the Isle of Islay,” said Jim Anderson, director of vessels at CMAL.

“The team at Cemre are working hard to prepare the vessel for delivery. There is a great feeling of momentum following the successful completion of this first phase of sea trials.”

Greener ferries

The tests included setup and verification of propulsion systems, generators, thrusters and stabilisers, alongside assessments of navigational and automation systems.

The ferry was evaluated at full load, with performance metrics covering speed, endurance, anchor deployment and manoeuvrability.

This latest generation ferry is part of CMAL’s push toward greener marine propulsion. The MV Isle of Islay will feature battery power as part of its hybrid design, offering cleaner, more efficient operations on Scotland’s west coast ferry routes.

The second phase of sea trials will begin later this summer, focusing on the vessel’s battery system and the hybrid configuration during harbour acceptance trials.

Back in April, CMAL announced that seven fully electric ferries will be built to serve remote island communities in Scotland.

Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland was hired to build the vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry fleet, with the first to be delivered in 2027.