Workers at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead start work on the first new Mersey Ferry to be built in 60 years. Tony McDonough reports

Work on the first new Mersey Ferry to be built in 60 years has started at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead with the hull already taking shape.

Late last year LBN exclusively revealed Cammell Laird would build the new vessel, the first Mersey Ferry to be built in more than 60 years. It was originally planned that the company would share the work with a Dutch shipyard.

Costing £26m, the new vessel will be in service by summer 2026 and will see one of the existing ferries, Royal Iris or Snowdrop, taken out of service. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which is funding the project, has yet to reveal which one it will be.

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

From platers to welders, 25 apprentices are investing a total of 17,000 hours on the history-making project and are embracing the opportunity to be a part of the Mersey Ferries legacy.

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “The world-famous Mersey Ferry has inspired books and songs and has been making waves in our city region for more than 100 years. Today, we begin its next chapter.

“As a staple of our heritage, the ferry has connected millions of people over its 800-year history, many of whom will remember the first time they hopped aboard.

“We want future generations to experience that same feeling, which is why we’re investing in a new boat and why we’ve developed a 20-year strategy to keep the Mersey Ferries on the water for many more years to come.”

There has been a ‘Ferry Across the Mersey’ for more than 800 years with the original service operated by the monks of Birkenhead Priory from a slipway on the Wirral side of the river still known as Monks Ferry.

Cammell Laird is part of the Peel-owned APCL Group. David McGinley, chief executive of ACPL, added: “Cammell Laird has a long history of supporting Mersey Ferries, our facility has built 15 of the vessels, dating back to 1836, as well as helping to maintain the current fleet.

“This new project will be built by apprentices working alongside our highly- experienced teams to create a state-of-the-art vessel that we will all be able to enjoy for decades to come.

“Cammell Laird is excited to be working with the team and to bring to life a project that has been many years in the making, which will further cement our history together.”

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A virtual walkthrough – accessible on the Mersey Ferries website or at a ‘Future of the Ferries’ exhibition in situ at Seacombe Terminal – allows passengers to experience the new high-spec Ferry.

Its design will honour the rich heritage of the Mersey Ferries, with the exterior retaining the traditional livery and colours of the iconic fleet, while the interiors boast a stylish, contemporary theme. First images were revealed in September.