New vessels update | November 2026
Welcome to the latest New Vessel Replacement project newsletter.
It has been an exciting and significant period for the project, with several major milestones achieved in recent weeks. Most notably, Scillonian IV has departed Vietnam and is now making her journey home to the UK ahead of entering service in March 2027.
Thank you for your continued support as we move ever closer to welcoming Scillonian IV to the Isles of Scilly.
Here’s a look at the progress made ahead of her departure from Vietnam.
Technical acceptance
Final preparations before departure
Scillonian IV sets sail from Vietnam on journey home to the UK
Scillonian IV, departed Vietnam on Saturday 31st October at 06:00 local time, marking the beginning of her journey to the UK ahead of entering service in March 2027.
The two-month voyage will take her from Ho Chi Minh City via the Cape of Good Hope, the same route taken by freight vessel Menawethan earlier this year.
Ian Howard, Chairman of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, visited the vessel before she left for the UK. He said: “Reaching this stage reflects the tremendous work, expertise and commitment of the teams who have overseen her construction and the many people who have contributed to the project.
“We’re now looking forward to welcoming her closer to home and beginning the next phase of preparations ahead of her entry into service in March.
“We know how important Scillonian IV is to the future of the Isles of Scilly, and we’re excited to be one step closer to introducing her to the communities and visitors she will serve.”
Scillonian IV is crewed by a team from a specialist delivery company. The voyage will include several bunker stops before a final call at Piriou’s shipyard in Brittany, France, before she continues on to Penzance.
The ship is expected to spend approximately three weeks in Brittany where final inspections will be carried out ahead of delivery. During this period, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group’s technical teams and a number of crew members will be on hand to close out the remaining technical items and conduct final inspections in preparation for delivery and formal acceptance of the vessel in Penzance later in January. Crew familiarisation with the vessel, including testing of the marine evacuation system, will also be conducted during this time at Piriou’s facilities in France, prior to the final leg of her journey to the UK.
Follow Scillonian IV
You can follow Scillonian IV’s journey every step of the way as she sails closer to Penzance. We’ll be sharing regular updates from along her voyage, including key milestones, port stops and insights from the voyage on our website.
Closing the chapter in Vietnam
With the Vietnam phase of our new vessel programme now complete, we will soon say farewell to new vessel project manager, Chris Lingham, who will leave the Group at the end of January 2027.
Since 2023, Chris has been overseeing the construction and delivery of Menawethan and Scillonian IV, guiding the project through key milestones from design and build to final preparations for service.
As Scillonian IV begins her journey to Europe, Chris reflects on his time in Vietnam and the successful completion of this project:
“It has been a great privilege to work with the many architects, engineers and tradesmen throughout this project, whose professionalism and expertise has been outstanding. The quality of workmanship and dedication from all of the team in Vietnam has given me a huge respect for the Vietnamese people and their culture.
“Whilst I am delighted Scillonian IV has now begun her long journey to Europe, it is combined with a touch of sadness that my time working with so many great people here in Vietnam has now come to an end.
“I am extremely proud of what we have achieved with the design and build of both vessels and I would like to thank all of the team at Piriou France, Piriou Vietnam, Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, Lloyd’s Register, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the many stakeholders who have contributed to the success of the project.
“I am confident that both vessels will reliably serve the Isles of Scilly for many years to come and in time will be held with the same affection as the vessels that they replace.”.
Introducing our new chief engineers
We are pleased to introduce two key additions to our vessel teams, with Campbell Morrison joining as chief engineer for Scillonian IV and Luke Crossley joining the Menawethan crew as chief engineer, alongside Phillip Hill.
Campbell will be responsible for the safe and efficient operation of Scillonian IV’s engineering systems, machinery and maintenance.
As part of his induction and introduction to our vessels and services, Campbell travelled to the shipyard in Vietnam on 23rd October to familiarise himself with Scillonian IV before she began her voyage to the UK.
Luke Crossley joined the Menawethan crew as chief engineer in August. Luke is responsible for the safe, efficient and reliable operation of all machinery, engineering systems and maintenance activities onboard the vessel, leading the engineering department and ensuring compliance with all safety, environmental and regulatory requirements. As the vessel’s senior engineering officer, he plays a key role in maintaining operational performance, managing planned maintenance programmes, supporting vessel commissioning and driving continuous improvement across engineering operations.
Scillonian IV schedules now open for booking
Schedules for her inaugural 2027 season are live and available to book. With significant interest expected during this historic season, passengers are encouraged to book early to secure their preferred sailing dates and be among the first to experience the next chapter of the Isles of Scilly sea link.
Menawethan enters first planned maintenance period
Menawethan has now been in service for over four months and, as with all new vessels, maintaining her and keeping up with planned maintenance remains vital. From 2nd – 8th November, she undergoes her first scheduled maintenance period, during which a range of planned works and inspections take place. As part of the vessel’s introduction into service, we continue to work closely with Piriou to progress warranty items and ensure Menawethan performs as intended for the long term.