Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird has started work on the new £26m Mersey Ferry and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has released the first exterior images and new flythrough video of the vessel. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has released the first exterior images of how its new £26m Mersey Ferry will look when coupled.

Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird started work on the vessel in November. If work stays on schedule it will come into service by summer 2026. It will be the first Mersey Ferry built for more than 60 years.

Late in 2023 LBN exclusively revealed Cammell Laird would build the new vessel. It was originally planned that the company would share the work with a Dutch shipyard.

This new ferry will see one of the existing ferries, Royal Iris or Snowdrop, taken out of service.The Combined Authority (CA), which is funding the project, has yet to reveal which one it will be.

Following the all-important steel cutting, construction is now under way at Cammell Laird. The hull will comprise 90,000 metres of welding and of 327 tonnes of steel, creating the backbone of the vessel.

The CA has also released an updated CGI video which shows how the vessel will look in front of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront – along with images of its stylish interior. Interior images were released in the summer.

Click here to watch the new flythrough video

By retaining the fleet’s traditional red, black and white colour scheme and false funnel, the exterior respects the Mersey Ferries’ rich heritage, while the interior boasts a contemporary theme.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “The world-famous Mersey Ferries have served the people of the Liverpool City Region for more than 800 years.

“With a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary design, the new ferry will be visually striking whether you’re watching it sail down the Mersey from the waterfront or travelling on board.

“The Mersey Ferries are a proud part of our past and our future, which is why we’re investing in not only a new ferry but also Seacombe and Woodside terminals on the Wirral to ensure the ferries remain a unique attraction on the River Mersey for generations to come.”

The new Mersey Ferry will feature state-of-the-art navigation and steering systems as well as providing improved spaces for events and functions. It will also be accessible with large, open-plan decks.

David McGinley, chief executive of APCL Group, Cammell Laird’s parent company, added: “Construction of the new ferry is now well underway, and the vessel is really starting to take shape.

“Cammell Laird is working in partnership with its supply chain to deliver both the exterior and interior of the vessel as we work around the clock to make these images a reality.”