Name MV Canna Yard number 424 Launched 31 October 1975 Draft 1.4 m | Port of registry Glasgow Construction started 1975 Length 22 m Builder Port Glasgow | |
 | ||
Owner Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited Operator previously Caledonian MacBrayne
now Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd Route Lochaline - Fishnish
Ballycastle - Rathlin Island | ||
Mv canna at rathlin
MV Canna is a car ferry built for Caledonian MacBrayne in 1975. She is now owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited and operated by Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd on the Ballycastle to Rathlin Island route in Northern Ireland.
Contents
History
MV Canna was the seventh Island Class ferry built for Caledonian MacBrayne. She was re-engined at Timbacraft, Shandon.
In May 2009, MV Canna became the first CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd) ship to receive its Inventory of Hazardous Materials (Green Passport).
Layout
The eight Island Class ferries, built between 1972 and 1976, were a very simple design, based on World War II landing craft. They had a two-part folding ramp at the bow, an open plan car deck incorporating a small turntable immediately aft and a sheltered area of passenger accommodation at the stern. The wheelhouse was above the passenger accommodation and the main mast above the ramp at the bow. A radar mast sat on top of the bridge, just forward of the small funnel and engine exhaust.
Service
MV Canna entered service on the Raasay route in January 1976, initially from Portree, but this soon changed to a shorter crossing from Sconser. After only 3 months she was moved to the Lochaline crossing to Mull, where she remained for the next ten years. In 1986 MV Loch Linnhe and then the larger MV Isle of Cumbrae replaced Canna.
After two years as spare vessel, Canna spent seven years crossing between Kyles Scalpay on Harris and the slipway on Scalpay - a crossing of just three minutes. In April 1997 she took over the Ballycastle - Rathlin Island crossing in Northern Ireland, initially operated by Calmac. In 2008 Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd took over the service, leasing the vessel from Caledonian Maritime Assets.