It was brought into service over the weekend but will be officially launched on June 27 with a naming ceremony.

The ferry is to serve the island of Arranmore, off the coast of Donegal. The journey between the island and the mainland fishing port of Burtonport had previously been served by The Morvern, a vessel previously owned by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Arranmore Fast Ferries was the third owner of the ship since it was sold by CalMac in 1995 after being put into service in 1972 but then deemed to be a ‘little too small’.

The company has now replaced it with The Arranmore Blu and is one of two vessels to travel the route between Burtonport and Arranmore.

The boat had undergone sea trials in December last year and travelled from Bute to Donegal the same month, before undergoing further te

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