**Seas of Change: Scotland's First Turkish-Built Ferry Set for November Launch**

The long-awaited MV Isle of Islay, the first ferry constructed in Turkey for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), has had its delivery date rescheduled from September 30 to November due to previous delays. Originally slated for delivery in October 2024, the ferry encountered setbacks primarily because of uncompleted sea trials.

However, the Cemre shipyard in Yalova, Turkey, has now confirmed that these trials are successfully concluded, paving the way for the ferry’s transfer to its new owners. Once in operation, the MV Isle of Islay is set to service the Kennacraig to Islay route and will soon be joined by three additional Turkish-built ferries—the MV Loch Indaal, MV Lochmor, and MV Claymore—which will roll out over the next six months.

After its handover to CMAL, the vessel will require several weeks of crew training and berthing trials in Scotland, making it improbable for the MV Isle of Islay to commence service with CalMac before the start of the new year.