It’s official. Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has announced the name for the first new ferry to be introduced to the Islay route in almost 40 years. It will be the Finlaggan – Fionn Lagan.

The name is that of an historic site on Islay and is also the place – on Loch Finlaggan – where the Lords of the Isles, who long dominated the waters off the west coast of Scotland and south to the Isle of Man, had their seat.

There were four names shortlisted for public voting – all chosen for their association with Islay and all currently available on the UK Ship Register.

Almost 900 votes were received in the four-week public vote with nop less than 70% opting for Finlaggan.

The other shortlisted names were: Lochiel / Loch Iall; Pioneer / Treoraiche; and Glendale / Gleann Dail.

Voting ran from Monday 19th October to midday on Monday 16th November. Members of the public could vote online on CMAL’s website or post their entry directly to CMAL.

And the winners will go to Poland for the launch

The contract to build the new passenger and vehicle ferry to serve the Islay route was won by the Remontowa yard in Gdansk, Poland at the end of 2007 as part of the £24.5M project.

Two lucky winners who voted for the winning name, Finlaggan,  have been chosen at random to be special guests at the ferry’s launch in Poland next year.

They will be contacted shortly. Further details will be available on the CMAL website in the near future.

The new Islay ferry will be the first new ship to serve the route in 37 years and marks a major investment in vessels from CMAL.

CMAL Chairman Grenville Johnston said: ‘This is a first class name for a first class ferry, as chosen by the people of Scotland. We look forward to the launch of the new ship in Poland next year, then welcoming Finlaggan to Islay in 2011, a worthy addition to the fleet’.

Guy Platten, CMAL Chief Executive, added: ‘Construction of this new ferry is progressing well with more than 40 percent of steelwork now complete and machinery ordered. We would like to thank all those members of the public who took the time to contribute to the choosing of the new name, a departure from what has happened in the past . We look forward to joining with our two lucky winners in Poland next summer’.

As with any new project there have been teethng problems, some of real substance and related to the new ship’s capacity to dock. While those involved in these expensive confusions need to raise their game in future, the arrival of the new ferry will be a celebratory occasion.

And who could argue with the public wisdom in the choice of name? Certainly not the two random winners – to be identified – who’ll be off to Gdansk in the new year.

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