Caledonia MacBrayne, better known as CalMac, has entered a partnership with Edinburgh-based tech consultancy firm Strom ID to develop a new data strategy.

CalMac serves as the principle ferry operator for Scotland, serving the West Coast and Hebridean islands.

The partnership with Storm ID will see the iconic ferry service implement a new data-driven culture of innovation, with improved digital service offerings.

CalMac is an essential service to Scotland’s islands and coastal communities, providing reliable transport to over 26 destinations.

The partnership will see Storm ID delve into the ferry’s data landscape, starting with an assessment of the existing data infrastructure, before working with relevant stakeholders to define a future vision for their data strategy aligned with best practice data governance.

The data strategy is set to focus on several key areas, including ensuring the data is accurate and reliable, and empowering CalMac to employ data-driven decisions across its organisation. Further, Storm ID will help them optimise operations via data insights, developing an overall culture of data-driven innovation.

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“We are excited to join CalMac on this data-driven journey with CalMac. Our expertise in data strategy and delivery, combined with CalMac’s deep understanding of their operational and customer needs, will enable us to put in place further important foundations for future success,” Linsey Lydon, managing director, Storm ID, said.

David Gammie, IT director at CalMac Ferries said: “We are on a journey to fully embed a data driven culture and to recognise data as one of our most important assets.

“This collaboration with Storm ID is important to accelerate our plans and ensure we build the right foundations moving forwards.”

In May, CalMac was awarded a contract from the Scottish government to continue running the west coast ferry service for the next 10 years, amounting to £3.9 billion. The Scottish government at the time said that the ferry would transition to a public service model rather than its previous commercial model.