Scotland's west coast ferry seascape

Scotland's west coast ferry seascape

Since we were awarded the latest Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS) contract last year it might be useful to remind you how this contract is set up and operated.

There are four main parties involved in delivering ferry services to west coast communities.

Scottish Government

The Scottish Government is the sole shareholder of CalMac Ferries Ltd's parent company David MacBrayne Ltd. Last year it tendered a £1 billion Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract to deliver ferry services to communities up and down the west coast. This was awarded to CalMac Ferries Ltd. It is also the sole shareholder of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL).

Transport Scotland

The Scottish Government manages the CHFS contract through its agency Transport Scotland. As well as management of the contract Transport Scotland are wholly responsible for setting the routes, fares and timetables within the contract.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd

CMAL owns all the vessels that CalMac operates to run the CHFS contract and 24 of the harbours CalMac operates from. They are responsible for commissioning new vessels and carrying out infrastructure repairs in harbours that they own. They are a company wholly owned by the Scottish Government.

CalMac Ferries Ltd

CalMac Ferries Ltd is a subsidiary of transport infrastructure and service provider David MacBrayne Ltd. We won the Scottish Government's CHFS contract in 2016 for a period of eight years. We operate operate 33 ferries on 49 routes providing 136,000 sailings per year. We also operate 24 harbours on behalf of CMAL.

I hope this provides you with some clarity over the complex arrangements that are in place to provide lifeline ferry services to some of the country's remotest communities.

Brian Fulton
Director of Community and Stakeholder Engagement
CalMac Ferries Ltd