New Northern Isles freight ferries to be built in Turkey or China

Two new Northern Isles freight ferries will be built in either Turkey or China, Transport Scotland has revealed.

The national transport agency announced on Monday that four companies would be invited to submit detailed proposals, or tenders, for the new contracts.

Cemre in Turkey, GSI in China, Stena UK alongside reliance partner CMJL (Weihai) in China, and Tersan in Turkey have all been selected to progress to the first stage of the competitive tender process.

When completed, the two new freight flex vessels will serve the Aberdeen to Kirkwall/Lerwick route. They will have the capacity to carry up to 200 passengers during peak months.

Transport Scotland said the vessels will “help support island communities and improve the resilience of the Northern Isles network”.

It’s expected to cost an estimated £200m for both vessels, including project costs and shore power upgrades.

“These new vessels will bring a huge increase in capacity for freight and passengers,” Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL) chief executive Kevin Hobbs said.

“The desire for an increased freight provision was regularly mentioned throughout our public engagement sessions, but so too was additional passenger accommodation to add resilience to the fleet.

“The freighter-flex design allows us to meet both needs: accommodating up to 200 passengers during peak months or alternatively reverting to freight mode to maximise commercial vehicle capacity.”

Scottish transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said she was “pleased” to see the second stage of the procurement process get underway.

“The Scottish Government is committed to investing in our ferry fleet to better meet the needs of island communities,” she said.

“These new vessels will have increased freight capacity, higher operating speeds, and additional capacity for passengers in peak season. This will enhance the efficiency and reliability of ferry services to better support the needs of businesses and communities in the Northern Isles for years to come.

“This is an important milestone in our plans to improve ferry services and I look forward to following the progress of this project over the coming months.”

Tender returns are expected by late November 2025, with a view to awarding the contract in February 2026.

Mr Hobbs said: “We look forward to seeing the four tender returns in late November 2025, at which point they will be assessed thoroughly against technical and commercial criteria.”