naValue and LMG Marin teams up behind NorthLink newbuildings

FerryThe ship design companies naValue and LMG Marin have been selected by the shipyard Guangzhou Shipyard International to provide the design for CMAL’s (Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited) two newbuildings, which were contracted with the yard back in March for NorthLink’s route between Aberdeen and Kirkwall/Lerwick in the Orkney and Shetland Islands respectively.

Both design companies are already familiar to CMAL, as they have also contributed to the development of the ongoing newbuilding program at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey for Caledonian MacBrayne’s Little Minch routes between Uig on Skye, Tarbert (Harris), and Lochmaddy (North Uist).

According to naValue, the two ship design companies will now work in partnership and in close cooperation with the shipyard, CMAL, and NorthLink to develop the best possible ferries for the operation. The two new 140-metre-long dual-fuel battery-hybrid ferries, with capacity for 200 passengers, will replace NorthLink’s current RoRo vessels, HELLIAR and HILDASAY, which, as cargo ships, are only able to carry up to 12 passengers.

maj 18 2026