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Isles of Scilly to get new landing craft for freight

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The new landing vessel, GughImage source, ISSG
Image caption,
Gugh will be able to carry around 50 tonnes of freight and 12 passengers, ISSG said

A new freight vessel is set to arrive in Scilly within weeks, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group (ISSG) says.

The company, which operates three other freight-specific vessels, a passenger ferry and flights to the islands, said high levels of demand made it sensible to bring an additional vessel into service.

The Gugh, named for one of the off islands, is a 22m (72ft) landing craft.

The vessel will allow goods to be taken to shore without need for a crane-lift.

ISSG CEO Stuart Reid said: "The Gugh will not only add additional resilience to the fleet, but as a landing craft, the Gugh has been designed and built to deliver direct to shore, allowing the transport of large mechanical plant from the mainland."

The landing craft has been built by Coastal Workboats in Exeter to the specifications of the shipbuilder, Damen.

Damen speculatively ordered landing utility vessels to be built by Coastal Workboats, which is why the vessel could be delivered to the Isles of Scilly in only a few weeks' time, the ISSG said.

Mr Reid added: "The design has proven abilities, with sister ships operating in and amongst the Scottish islands."

Gugh, which is pronounced to rhyme with Hugh, will be based on the Isles of Scilly, with moorings at St Mary's.

Crew members are currently being recruited for the vessel, which the ISSG said would be able to carry roughly 50 tonnes of freight during normal operations and up to 12 passengers.

The name Gugh echoes the ISSG's former freight vessel of the same name, which served as the inter-island launch between 1961 and 1991.

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