MV Isle of Lewis

Isle of Lewis departing Stornoway, May 2021
History
United Kingdom
Name	MV Isle of Lewis Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Leòdhais [1]
Namesake	Isle of Lewis
Owner	Caledonian Maritime Assets
Operator	Caledonian MacBrayne
Port of registry	Glasgow
Route	Oban - Castlebay Ullapool - Stornoway (relief)
Ordered	22 September 1993
Builder	Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow
Yard number	608[2]
Laid down	23 February 1994
Launched	18 April 1995
Christened	by Princess Alexandra, The Hon Lady Ogilvy
Completed	26 July 1995
Maiden voyage	31 July 1995[2]
Identification	IMO number: 9085974 MMSI number: 232002521 Callsign: MVNP4
Status	in service
General characteristics
Tonnage	6,753 GT
Length	101.25 m (332.2 ft)[2]
Beam	18.52 m (60.8 ft)[2]
Draught	4.19 m (13.7 ft)[2]
Propulsion	2 x Mirrlees Blackstone K6 Major, 2 x Ulstein 1500 AGSC gearboxes
Speed	18.0 kn (20.7 mph; 33.3 km/h)[3] (service)
Capacity	680 passengers, 123 cars[3]
Crew	32

MV Isle of Lewis is a ro-ro ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne between Oban and Castlebay, Barra. Built in 1995, she remains one of only two ships in the CalMac fleet over 100 metres (328 ft) in length; the other, Loch Seaforth, being longer by almost 15 metres.

Originally built to operate between Ullapool and Stornoway, Isle of Lewis rarely deviated from that route for 20 years. Since March 2016, she has served the Isle of Barra all year round from Oban. The only other routes operated by CalMac she has ever worked on is the triangle between Uig, Lochmaddy & Tarbert and between Oban and Craignure, but only ever during an emergency.