CalMac Ferries Application Support

The Challenge

CalMac Ferries (Caledonian MacBrayne) operates the UK’s largest ferry network, providing lifeline services to island and mainland communities across Scotland’s west coast. Running the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services on behalf of the Scottish Government, CalMac connects mainland ports with 22 of Scotland’s major islands. The company depends on a complex integration platform to connect multiple core systems, from booking and payment to customer communications, so that services run smoothly for passengers and staff.

CalMac runs over 160,000 sailings each year, carrying around 5 million passengers. That scale is why stable, responsive system support is mission-critical for the CalMac ferry network. The integration layer handles the secure exchange of data between internal and third-party systems, with high availability demands and the need to adapt quickly to operational and customer service requirements.

CalMac Ferries required a trusted partner to provide responsive application support, deliver enhancements, and give independent technical assurance on other important systems.

Why Responsive Support Matters for the CalMac Ferry Network

For a lifeline ferry operator, downtime is not an inconvenience. It disrupts island communities, freight, and connections across Scotland’s west coast. The systems behind CalMac ferries handle bookings, payments, and customer communications around the clock, so issues need to be resolved quickly and changes delivered without interrupting live sailings.

That is why CalMac needed more than break-fix cover. The operator needed a partner who understood the operational context of a ferry network, could enhance integrations safely, and could give independent assurance on the systems CalMac relies on every day.

How We Delivered Managed Support and Integration Enhancements

Through a G-Cloud contract, Talk Think Do delivers managed application support for CalMac, including:

Seamless collaboration with CalMac’s internal teams and infrastructure partner to ensure joined-up service delivery
Independent technical due diligence on another core CalMac system, providing assurance and recommendations for improvement
Change request delivery, implementing enhancements across APIs, integrations, and application components to improve performance, interoperability, and user experience
Planned maintenance, managing updates to third-party dependencies and ensuring ongoing compatibility with Azure and .NET frameworks
In-hours incident management for the integration platform (P1-P4), resolving issues quickly to minimise disruption

Outcomes & Impact

Strong working relationship built on understanding CalMac’s operational context and aligning to its service priorities
Technical assurance to support confident decision-making on system investments and improvements
Enhanced integration capabilities that improve data flows, stability, and operational efficiency for the CalMac ferry network
Reliable day-to-day operations, with swift resolution of incidents and proactive updates to prevent issues

What This Means For You

If your organisation operates a mission-critical integration platform, the right support partner can make the difference between firefighting and future-proofing. Talk Think Do brings deep technical expertise, responsive service, and a collaborative approach, ensuring your systems stay reliable, adaptable, and aligned to your business goals.

We support transport operators and mobility platforms across the UK. Explore our work in the transport sector or see how our managed application support keeps critical systems running.