The new Arranmore Blu will enter service on the Arranmore Ferry route from today.
The Arranmore Blu was designed by Simon Cormack of Marine Design Ltd and constructed by Ewen Ferguson and his team at Bute Boat Builders. This modern ferry is set to replace the Morvern, a vessel originally built in 1972 and formerly part of the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet.
The Arranmore Ferry journey began in June 2007 with the introduction of an 11-metre fast ferry built by Red Bay. Later that year, the company expanded the fleet with the Girl Gray, a 14-metre Aquastar.
In 2008, they acquired the Bruernish, an ex-Calmac ferry, followed in 2009 by another Calmac vessel, the Morvern, which entered service on the Arranmore–Burtonport route. The Morvern has served reliably ever since and will now make way for the new Arranmore Blu.
Recognising the increasing demands of modern transport and larger vehicles, The Arranmore Ferry company began planning in 2020 for a new vessel that would offer greater capacity and comfort. The Arranmore Blu is the result of those efforts, designed to meet the future needs of the island community.
The Arranmore Blu will go into service on Thursday 5th June with the official launch and naming ceremony taking place on Friday, 27th June.
