Building work is now officially underway on the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group’s (ISSG) new passenger and freight vessels, with the first steel for the new ships being cut during a special ceremony at Piriou’s shipyard in Vietnam.
The event marks the start of the build and was attended by senior company executives from ISSG and Piriou. Work will progress rapidly over the coming months, with the keel-laying for both vessels due to take place in the autumn.
The build will be overseen in Vietnam by ISSG project managers, Chris Lingham and Peter Broad, who have relocated to Vietnam for the duration of the build.
The steel cutting event was preceded with a meet-and-greet between ISSG representatives and Piriou’s workforce, alongside a presentation about the new vessel replacement project and its importance to the Isles of Scilly.
Stuart Reid, CEO of ISSG, said: “This important milestone is a big step forward in our plans to bring new, purpose-built vessels to secure the future of the lifeline sea link between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
“Being in a position to commence the build-phase of the project has been a real team-effort, both from ISSG and also from our excellent project partners, Piriou. We have been planning this moment since we commenced our new vessel replacement programme in 2019, and being here to cut the first steel for the new ships is a very proud moment for the company.
“When these new ships enter service in 2026, they will greatly improve the resilience and reliability of our fleet, bringing in a host of environmental benefits and service improvements.”
