MV Loch Buie

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: £
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

Launched 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

Loch 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

Built for the Iona service, Loch Buie rarely sails on other routes.[4]

References
  1. "MV Loch Buie". CalMac. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  2. "MV Loch Buie". Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  3. "Loch Buie- IMO: 9031375". ShipSpotting. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  4. "Loch Buie". Ships of Calmac. Retrieved 15 January 2021.

Media related to Loch Buie (ship, 1992) at Wikimedia Commons

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