MV Bute
Encyclopedia
MV Bute is a ferry owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne
, on the route between Wemyss Bay and Rothesay.
in 1974. There was much dissent over the decision to order a new ferry from outside the UK. Launched in Poland, she sailed for Scotland, arriving in Gourock on 28 June 2005. After trials, she entered service on 1 August 2005.
before her, she has bow and stern access. In addition she has a starboard vehicle ramp aft which was used at Rothesay before the pier was converted to allow end-loading.
Passenger accommodation is on two levels: the first housing forward and aft lounges with a kiosk area and toilets between, while the second level is open deck space from the twin funnels to just forward of the bridge. The bridge sits on its own perch above the open deck. A single lift connects the car deck with the lounge.
Bute has Azipod
units with electrically driven propellers mounted on a steerable pod, protruding beneath the hull. These made her harder to position at piers than her predecessors with Voith Schneider Propellers and led to delays in the first season.
and Rothesay
on the Isle of Bute
, along with her sister ship . Being more manoeuvrable than the new vessels, the streakers and returned to provide the service during work to build a new end-loading linkspan at Rothesay pier in 2007.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland and the Clyde Estuary.CMAL is wholly owned by the Scottish Government, with Scottish Ministers as sole shareholders.-History:Until...
and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
, on the route between Wemyss Bay and Rothesay.
History
She is the seventh Clyde ship to bear the name Bute and Calmac's first ferry built outside the UK since the MV SuilvenMV Suilven
MV Suilven is a vehicle ferry built in 1974 and operated for 21 years by Caledonian MacBrayne on the Ullapool to Stornoway route. She subsequently operated in New Zealand and later in Fiji.-History:...
in 1974. There was much dissent over the decision to order a new ferry from outside the UK. Launched in Poland, she sailed for Scotland, arriving in Gourock on 28 June 2005. After trials, she entered service on 1 August 2005.
Layout
MV Bute has a semi-open car deck with a clearance height of 5.1m. Like the MV CoruiskMV Coruisk
MV Coruisk is a Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited ferry built in 2003, operated by Caledonian MacBrayne and serving the west coast of Scotland.-History:...
before her, she has bow and stern access. In addition she has a starboard vehicle ramp aft which was used at Rothesay before the pier was converted to allow end-loading.
Passenger accommodation is on two levels: the first housing forward and aft lounges with a kiosk area and toilets between, while the second level is open deck space from the twin funnels to just forward of the bridge. The bridge sits on its own perch above the open deck. A single lift connects the car deck with the lounge.
Bute has Azipod
Azipod
Azipod is the registered brand name of the ABB Group for their azimuth thruster. Originally developed in Finland jointly by Kvaerner Masa-Yards dockyards and ABB, these are marine propulsion units consisting of electrically driven propellers mounted on a steerable pod.The pod's propeller usually...
units with electrically driven propellers mounted on a steerable pod, protruding beneath the hull. These made her harder to position at piers than her predecessors with Voith Schneider Propellers and led to delays in the first season.
Service
MV Bute operates the route between Wemyss BayWemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay is a village on the coast of the Firth of Clyde falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The name may derive from the Gaelic uaimh, meaning 'cave'...
and Rothesay
Rothesay, Argyll and Bute
The town of Rothesay is the principal town on the Isle of Bute, in the council area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It can be reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay which offers an onward rail link to Glasgow. At the centre of the town is Rothesay Castle, a ruined castle which dates back to the 13th...
on the Isle of Bute
Isle of Bute
Bute is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Formerly part of the county of Buteshire, it now constitutes part of the council area of Argyll and Bute. Its resident population was 7,228 in April 2001.-Geography:...
, along with her sister ship . Being more manoeuvrable than the new vessels, the streakers and returned to provide the service during work to build a new end-loading linkspan at Rothesay pier in 2007.