CMAL appoints contractor to build new slipways at Colintraive and Rhubodach

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has awarded a contract to reconstruct the slipways at Colintraive and Rhubodach.  A larger vehicle queuing area will also be created at Colintraive as part of a £6 million harbour investment programme.

CMAL, which owns ferries and harbours serving the west coast of Scotland and Clyde Estuary, has awarded the contract to Raynesway Ltd after an OJEU tender process.

The work will commence in April 2017 and is programmed to be completed by summer 2018.

CMAL and Raynesway Ltd will implement a phased construction project plan to allow the ferry service to continue to operate to timetable, minimising the impact on ferry users.

A temporary slipway will be constructed at Colintraive while the new slipway is built to the north at Rhubodach.  The ferry service will then switch to operate between these two slipways to allow replacement of the Colintraive slipway and demolition of the old Rhubodach slipway.  Finally, the temporary slipway will be removed at Colintraive and the vehicle queuing area completed.

Minister for Transport and the Islands Humza Yousaf said:

“The award of this contract is the next step in a process that will see significant renewal and improvement works at the harbours at Colintraive and Rhubodach, with the majority of the funding coming from the Scottish Government.

“The works will help give the harbours greater operational resilience, with the new slipways eliminating the occasional restriction caused by very extreme tides.  The project will also see the construction of a new vehicle queuing area to help manage traffic onto the ferries, with car numbers on the crossing increasing by over 13% last year following the introduction of RET fares.

“The ferry service will continue to operate throughout these works, with both CMAL and the contractor looking to keep any disruption to a minimum.  I look forward to this work being completed and ferry users benefiting from the upgraded facilities.”

Ruairidh Campbell, Senior Civil Engineer at CMAL said:

“The contract is part of our ongoing programme of harbour upgrades and modifications.  The existing slipways have reached the end of their life, with significant settlement and continual breaking up of the surfaces. Maintenance is no longer a viable solution.  The replacement of the slipways will provide a more resilient ferry service, with larger slipways offering more flexibility around tide levels.

“We are very conscious of the impact that disruption has on local communities, so we have agreed a project delivery plan that will allow the ferry to operate to timetable throughout the period of works.

“We look forward to working with Raynesway Ltd to deliver these improved harbour facilities for our local communities.”

 

Ends

Notes to editors:

  1. Issued by Clark Communications on behalf of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL).  For media enquiries contact Angela Hughes 0141 548 8028 / 07967 975 253 / angela@clarkcommunications.co.uk A photo of the existing slipway at Colintraive is available – contact Angela Hughes
  2. CMAL own property at piers and harbours at more than 26 locations throughout Scotland.  CMAL is delivering a programme of investment and improvements, which will create better facilities.
  3. In addition to its pier and harbour facilities, CMAL owns 32 ferries and leases one further ferry.  All 32 vessels are leased to CalMac Ferries Ltd for use on ferry services on the Clyde and Hebrides. In addition, two ferries are currently under construction.
  4. CMAL is a publicly owned company with Scottish Ministers as the sole shareholder.
  5. For more information about CMAL visit: www.cmassets.co.uk

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