MV Hebrides was the first of a trio of hoist-loading car ferries built for David MacBrayne Ltd in 1964 and operated on the Uig, Skye to Tarbert and Lochmaddy route in Scotland for over twenty years.

Hall, Russell & Company of Aberdeen won the contract to build them, ahead of fifteen other British yards.

The new ferries were initially chartered to David MacBrayne Ltd, and were all equipped to serve as floating nuclear shelters, in the event of national emergency.

She was though, like her sisters not fitted with twin rudders aft of the screws, making the vessel slow to respond to the helm.

The hoists avoided the cost of installing linkspans on the piers, but the process was slow and restricted the length and weight of vehicles that could be carried.

On her introduction, the old Outer Isles mail steamer Lochmor ceased her crossings of the Minch, instead taking up the Armadale service from Mallaig, until the second new car ferry arrived.

[1] Having served Harris faithfully for over twenty years, she was replaced by the larger and drive through vessel MV Hebridean Isles in 1985.