Ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne has confirmed that the name of its new ship to service the Isle of Bute will be MV Argyle. The vessel, currently being built by the Remontowa Group in Gdansk, Poland, is due to enter service at the end of 2006.

 

The new vessel with a contract value of £9 million will be a sister-ship for MV Bute, currently the newest vessel in the CalMac fleet. She was introduced onto the Wemyss Bay-Rothesay route in July 2005.

 

Confirming the name of the new ship today (Monday 3 April), CalMac’s Chairman, Dr Harold Mills said: “the name Argyle is singularly appropriate for the new Wemyss Bay-Rothesay ferry. It is important for safety reasons that the name is not held by any other vessel and Argyle, with the old spelling, fits the bill. MV Argyle will be the seventh vessel to bear the name. The best known of all the Clyde paddle steamers named Argyle was actually the successor to the firstButeon the service from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay, as well as to Innellan, Largs and Millport. Coincidentally, the seventh Argyle will be the sister ship of the seventh Bute”.

 

Dr Mills continued: “When MV Argyle joins MV Bute later this year, the Company will achieve its objective in providing a ferry service appropriate to the 21^st Century. Technical Director John Kerr said “Like MV Bute, the sister vessel is being been built with passenger comfort in mind. We know from our experience of the MV Bute the enhanced facilities offered and different style of seating arrangement were all very well received. MV Bute has set new standards for our commuter type service and we believe that we are offering both the quality of onboard facility that the customers of today expect and that we as the lifeline ferry service provider believe are entitled to”.   

The new vessel will be 72m long and 15.3m breadth, with a moulded depth of 5m. She will able to carry 60 cars and 450 passengers and this will further increase capacity on CalMac’s busiest route.

Further details on MV Argyle’s progress and her anticipated arrival on the Clyde will be regularly updated on CalMac’s website, www.calmac.co.uk.

 

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