The recent commissioning of the 90m passenger and vehicle ferry Finlaggan is set to strengthen one of the many vital links which serve Scotland's Western Isles. The 5209gt addition to the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet is the company's most technically advanced vessel, and the first large newbuild for the Hebridean route network in a decade. Moreover, Finlaggan is the first purpose-built ferry to be introduced to serve Islay since the Pioneer of 1974. Built in Poland at the Remontowa Group's Northern Shipyard, she represents an investment of £24.5 million (US$40 million) by state-owned Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), which commissioned her on behalf of the Scottish Government. To accommodate the new, larger vessel, CMAL, owner of the CalMac fleet and harbour facilities, has also allocated capital expenditure to berth developments on Islay and at the eastern end of the route, at Kennacraig, on Kintyre.
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