Achi news desk-
The first of the four ferries, which will serve Islay and Little Minch, was launched earlier this month and is expected to enter service in November.
It is in stark contrast to the two larger ferries being built at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow, which are six years late and several times over budget.
The CEO of the state-owned shipyard was sacked by the board this week and ministers are waiting for more details on the possibility of further delays for Glen Sannox and its sister ship Glen Rosa.
READ MORE: SNP ministers should have walked in front of Ferguson Marine boss
The MV Isle of Islay is the name of the first of the Turkish ships to enter the water.
It is just under 95m long and holds a maximum of 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles.
The second ship, Loch Indaal, has the same specifications.
The contract for both vessels was awarded in March 2022.
At Ferguson Marine, the 102m long Glen Sannox and her sister ship will be able to carry 852 passengers each, with the number of vehicles depending on the deck configuration.
In CMAL’s quarterly update to the Holyrood Transport Committee, CEO Kevin Hobbs said a team of supervisors was on site in Turkey overseeing construction.
The ship classification society, Lloyds Register, has issued statements verifying that the hull construction meets the design brief, he said.
Commissioning activities for MV Isle of Islay are expected to begin in the second quarter of this year.
READ MORE: CalMac’s new ferry successfully launched at Turkish factory
Mr Hobbs said: “We report that the four ships remain on schedule and on budget.
“As we move into the more complex stage of building the boats, (outfits, cables, piping, fitting etc.) we will continue to work closely with the yard to ensure that this remains true and addresses any issues as they arise. .”
A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: “We welcome the latest information on the four ferries and look forward to the fleet serving the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Network joining them.
“The introduction of six new large ships to serve Scotland’s ferry network by 2026 is a priority for this government.
“We have invested more than £2 billion in our ferry services since 2007 and have outlined plans to invest around £700 million in a five-year plan to improve ferry infrastructure.”
