MV Loch Buie (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Buidhe) is a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited ferry built in 1992. She is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the crossing to Iona.
 MV Loch Buie approaching Iona
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Loch Buie on Mull |
| Owner | Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited |
| Operator | Caledonian MacBrayne |
| Port of registry | Glasgow |
| Route | Fionnphort to Iona |
| Builder | J W Miller & Sons Ltd, St Monans[1] |
| Cost | £3,750,000 |
| Yard number | 1045 |
| Launched | 14 October 1991[2] |
| Completed | 1992 |
| In service | 1 July 1992 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | in service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | ro-ro vehicle ferry |
| Tonnage | 295 GT[4] |
| Length | 30.2 m (99 ft 1 in)[1] |
| Beam | 10.0 m (32 ft 10 in)[1] |
| Draft | 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Installed power | Machinery: |
| Speed | 9 kn (17 km/h) |
| Capacity | 250 passengers and 9 cars |
| Crew | 4 |
History
editLaunched in 1992, Loch Buie underwent trials on the Forth, and was delivered to the west coast through the Caledonian Canal.[4]
On her first day in service at Fionnphort, she struck the concrete ramp, damaging one of her Voith-Schneider units. Repairs followed on the Clyde and she returned to service in the summer.[4]
Layout
editLoch Buie's layout is similar to the original "Baby Lochs" of 1986 and 1987.[4] Her car deck can take two lanes of cars, with a passenger lounge on each side. An additional lounge straddles the car deck, towards the bow. This produces a height restriction for vehicles and reduces her suitability for other routes where drive-through operation for high vehicles is required.[4] The additional lounge means her passenger certificate allows up to 250 passengers.
Her stern ramp was extended after a few years, avoiding the risk of passengers getting wet feet, and making it easier for large vehicles to board from the steep slipways.[4]
Service
editBuilt for the Iona service, Loch Buie rarely sails on other routes.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "MV Loch Buie". CalMac. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
- ^ "MV Loch Buie". Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ "Loch Buie- IMO: 9031375". ShipSpotting. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Loch Buie". Ships of Calmac. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
External links
edit
Media related to Loch Buie (ship, 1992) at Wikimedia Commons
- MV Loch Buie on www.calmac.co.uk