TWO BRAND new ferries are set to join the Western Ferries fleet by as soon as autumn 2026, after the company named UK shipbuilding company APCL Cammell Laird as the preferred bidder for the multi-million-pound development.
The vessels, designed to operate on the Gourock to Dunoon route, will be built at Cammell Laird’s shipyard in Birkenhead, strengthening the long- standing partnership between the two companies. The shipbuilder previously delivered the Sound of Seil and Sound of Soay in 2013 – two ferries that have become mainstays of the current fleet.
Western Ferries’ Managing Director Gordon Ross said the decision to appoint APCL Cammell Laird followed a highly competitive process, with the company’s bid offering exceptional value, strong shipbuilding credentials, and a proven track record.
Mr Ross said: “.APCL Cammell Laird was selected as the preferred bidder due to the strength of its proposal, demonstrating exceptional value in cost, expertise, and the quality of its shipbuilding facilities. Their bid was immensely strong on all fronts, and with their heritage of maritime excellence, we are confident that they will deliver vessels of the highest quality, on time and on budget.”
In an official announcement of the two new vessels Western Ferries stated that the company remained ‘proud that its fleet is and will be 100 per cent British built.’
Once delivered, the two new vessels will reduce the average age of the Western Ferries fleet to just over six years, bolstering the company’s ability to maintain its reputation for service reliability.
The investment also represents a boost for the local economy, with Western Ferries employing over 60 people in the Cowal area and providing a vital transport link between the West Coast and the central belt.
APCL Group CEO David McGinley welcomed the award, describing it as a significant milestone for the company and the wider UK commercial shipbuilding sector.
He said: “APCL Group welcomes the announcement of this latest contract with Western Ferries, further developing the partnership between both companies. We would like to thank Western Ferries for its ongoing confidence in our facilities and our shipbuilding capabilities.”
He added: “This contract marks the next major milestone in APCL Group being recognised as the UK’s leading commercial shipbuilder. Continued orders from British companies to British shipyards ensure that the UK remains as a leader of commercial shipbuilding on the world stage.”
