Two more new ferries are to be built to alleviate the pressure on routes to Scotland’s island communities.
A £115 million contract to start construction could be awarded before the end of this year. Funding has been brought forward by the Scottish government with plans for the vessels to be deployed on the Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy triangle.
The long-delayed Hull 802, which is under construction at the nationalised Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow, was supposed to cover that route but is not expected to be delivered until the start of 2024.
The new vessels will use the same specification as a pair being built in Turkey for use on routes to Islay as part of a £91 million contract. The first of those is
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