ISLE OF ISLAY © CalMac Ferries

New delays to CMAL’s remaining Cemre newbuildings

FerryCaledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has announced further delays to the delivery of its three remaining ferry newbuildings at Cemre Shipyard in Türkiye. The first vessel in the series, ISLE OF ISLAY, was delivered in January this year. The original contractual delivery date for ISLE OF ISLAY, was October 2024. CMAL has now informed the Scottish Parliament’s Transport Committee in a project update that LOCH INDAAL, the second vessel in the series, has completed its sea trials and will be delivered in October this year.

The remaining two ferries in the newbuilding programme at Cemre, LOCHMOR and CLAYMORE, will now be delivered in the first and second quarters of 2027, respectively. LOCHMOR’s sea trials are scheduled for November 2026, while no date has yet been set for the sea trials of CLAYMORE, which was launched in May 2026. CMAL has also stated that it will provide a precise update on the delivery of LOCH INDAAL by 30 September at the latest.

One reason for the very slow pace of production at Cemre Shipyard is that the yard is in a highly strained financial position. Consequently, CMAL took ownership of the three remaining newbuildings in June to safeguard the investments already made in the project should the yard’s financial position deteriorate further.

Both Scandlines and Molslinjen had to contend with similar challenges but completed their respective newbuilding projects at the yard. As a result, THE BALTIC WHALE for Scandlines and NERTHUS and TYRFING for Molslinjen were also delivered with significant delays. According to the BBC, the delays to CMAL’s newbuilding project at Cemre Shipyard have so far added GBP 20 million to the original contract price of GBP 200 million.

sep 02 2026