Caledonian MacBrayne

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Caledonian MacBrayne (Scottish Gaelic: Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), in short form CalMac, is the trade name of CalMac Ferries Ltd, the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland, serving ports on the mainland and 22 of the major islands. It is a subsidiary of holding company David MacBrayne, which is owned by the Scottish Government. Its predecessor, the government owned Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd, was formed in 1973 as a ferry owner and operator. In 2006 these functions were separated to meet EU requirements for competitive tendering. The company, renamed Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL), continued to own the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet and assets. The contract for operating Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services using these vessels was put out to open competitive tender. CalMac Ferries Ltd was created in October 2006 as a separate company to bid for the work. CalMac was awarded the contract, as well as a later competitive procurement process, and since 1 October 2007 has operated the services. CalMac operates 37 ferries. A further 6 vessels are currently under construction for the fleet, with 5 more vessels on order. The company serves over 50 ports and harbours on the west coast of Scotland, with CMAL owning 16 of these ports and harbours. Caledonian MacBrayne operate on average over 162,700 sailings annually. 2018 was the company's busiest year in terms of passenger numbers, carrying an estimated 5,309,771 passengers.