CALMAC has confirmed the appointment of its new permanent chief executive officer (CEO).

Duncan Mackison, who joined on a temporary basis in April 2024, has now taken on the role permanently and will start effective immediately.

Erik Østergaard, the chair of the CalMac board, said: "I am delighted Duncan has accepted the role of chief executive officer permanently.

"He rejoined CalMac at a challenging time, but in the short period he has been in post we can see positive progress has been made and he has put in place a clear plan to continue to build on that progress.

"The board has every confidence that we, and the communities CalMac serves, will see continued improvement under Duncan's leadership."

Duncan Mackison (Image: CalMac) Duncan Mackison, CEO of CalMac, said: "Over the past few months, I have been privileged to meet islanders and other stakeholders who rely on CalMac, and to lead a team of dedicated individuals who are steadfast in their commitment to providing lifeline ferry services.

"I now look forward to doing that on a permanent basis.

"The recent handover of MV Glen Sannox, and the imminent arrival of five other major vessels, is a milestone for CalMac and gives us a foundation on which to build success.

"My aim is simply to improve every journey on a CalMac ferry, and we will continue to deliver on that by enhancing both our operational effectiveness and the experience people have when they travel with us."