MV Hebrides
Approaching Uig, Skye on 9 May 2015.
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | MV Hebrides (III) |
| Owner: | Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited |
| Operator: | Caledonian MacBrayne |
| Port of registry: | Glasgow |
| Route: | Uig - Tarbert/Lochmaddy |
| Builder: | Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow |
| Yard number: | 708 |
| Launched: | 2 August 2000 by HM the Queen |
| Maiden voyage: | 24 March 2001 |
| Identification: |
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| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 5,506 |
| Length: | 99m |
| Beam: | 15.8m |
| Draught: | 3.22m |
| Propulsion: | |
| Speed: | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) (service) |
| Capacity: | 612 passengers, 90 cars |
| Crew: | 34 |
| Notes: | |
MV Hebrides is a ferry owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne from Uig to Lochmaddy and Tarbert - the capital villages of the islands of North Uist and Harris respectively.
The present MV Hebrides revived a traditional name on the "Uig triangle" and is the third vessel of the name in the CalMac fleet over the years. She carries the bell of the first Hebrides (an 1898 steamer) which also graced the second "Heb" (1964). The 1964 ship was MacBrayne's first car ferry and very much a favourite, which for twenty years, also sailed from Uig, Skye.
Following successful sea trials on the Clyde in early 2001, the Hebrides made her way round to Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy, where she conducted berthing trials at the three linkspans. Uig and Tarbert piers had to be specially extended to accommodate this new giant. On entry into service on 24 March 2001 she displaced the MV Hebridean Isles to Islay. Her service speed is 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph), which cuts the crossing times to around 100 minutes and allows three return trips per day.
There were no Sunday sailings to or from Tarbert, so the Hebrides concentrated on serving Lochmaddy on North Uist. The ratio of crossings is something like 2:1 in favour of North Uist. Having the MV Isle of Lewis at Stornoway (serving Lewis and Harris), and in 2003 the introduction of the new MV Loch Portain (making inter-island access easier) have encouraged this trend.
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Wikipedia