CALMAC ferry MV Hebridean Isles sailed down the Clyde as she started her final voyage, to a recycling yard Denmark.
The vessel, owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) and operated by Calmac, joined the service in 1985. She was a valued member of the ferry fleet across the west coast of Scotland, where she served for nearly 40 years.
Originally designed for the Skye Triangle (Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert), Hebridean Isles served passengers all over the network during her life. In 2001 she took over the Kennacraig-Islay route, and also operated between Ardrossan and Brodick, Ullapool and Stornoway, Wemyss Bay and Rothesay. She additionally spent time providing relief cover on the Northlink route between Scrabster in Caithness and Stromness in Orkney.
Following her retirement, she was moored at King George V dock in Govan, where decommissioning work took place to reclaim many of her parts. These will be used to support the rest of the CalMac fleet.
Hebridean Isles — often known as the Heb Isles — was towed from the Glasgow dock by a harbour tug and was transferred to sea-going tug, Pegasus, at Greenock yesterday afternoon.
Kevin Hobbs, chief executive of CMAL said: “MV Hebridean Isles was a familiar sight across the west coast of Scotland, where she served for nearly 40 years. Following her retirement we have carried out a complex process of decommissioning and salvaging many of her parts, to support the rest of the fleet.”
