A FERRY has had to be brought in to deal with a backlog of passengers, vehicles and vital freight following problems with access to two islands and after repairs to one of Scotland's oldest publicly owned lifeline vessel.
It is the fourth time and the third vessel that has needed to be enlisted by CalMac in the past eight days due to faults with one of its ferries and because of problems with the pier infrastructure on two of Scotland's islands.
There have had to be three charters from private companies.
The CalMac relief vessel MV Loch Bhrusda was brought in on Tuesday for the island of Eigg to deal with booked vehicles, passengers and freight yesterday - two days after the 21-year-old MV Lochnevis returned to full operation after completing two rounds of repairs.
Issues with the vessel have combined with problems with getting the ferry to dock at the piers on islands of Eigg and Muck due to what CalMac described as "infrastructure" issues.
State-owned CalMac said that Lochnevis is no longer able to serve Eigg and yesterday brought in 25-year-old Loch Bhrusda, which is designed for shallower waters and can accommodate 150 passengers and 18 cars, to help deal with the backlog.
READ MORE: CalMac warn of compensation claims as probe is launched into biggest ferry breakdown
Problems with Lochnevis have resulted in disruption for the past four weeks. The first surfaced on May 16, with calls to Rum and Canna cancelled.
Since then car and freight traffic has been cut as the passenger-only catamaran the MV Larven was chartered twice to serve the islands.
The service to and from the islands and particularly Eigg has had its car service drastically cut since Lochnevis, which can carry 190 passengers and 14 cars, had to stop all services to the Small Isles on the morning of the May 31, the Spring Bank Holiday. The issue was a thruster and it later operated a passenger-only service to the Small Isles it serves - Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna.
While trying to deal with a backlog of vehicles and freight in the service to Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna after repair work was carried Lochnevis, it emerged on Thursday that it had broken down again. This time it was a problem with the centre shaft generator circuit breaker.
It has emerged that the cargo vessel Spanish John had to be chartered by CalMac to serve Eigg.
Two days after Lochnevis returned to service at the weekend, it emerged that it was unable to berth on Eigg, due to infrastructure issues and Loch Bhrusda has been brought in.
Highland Council said there has been collision damage to the fenders at Eigg and other island ferry terminals that they believe has "probably been caused by the CalMac ferry" and they are in the process of procuring the repair work for them.
"Unfortunately repairs take a little time to organise, however contractors are scheduled to start repairs this week and we hope they will be able to attend Eigg later next week," said a spokesman.
CalMac said work was also needed to move silt which had built up due to tidal movements, this affects a vessel’s ability to get into the pier.
It also warned that due to what it called a "navigational issue" at the entrance to Muck pier, all sailings to the island remain liable to disruption and possible cancellation at short notice until the issue is resolved.
Last week, one Eigg resident Stuart Fergusson, who runs the cafe and bar, posted a complaint with CalMac saying: "CalMac Ferries, working hard to ensure your trip to the Small Isles are a complete disaster."
The latest issues come off the back of the country's ferry building 'fiasco' at the now state-owned Ferguson Marine.
The two lifeline ferries being built at Ferguson Marine which were due to be in service in early 2018 are now up to nearly five years behind schedule and their cost is now over double the original £97m contract.
On Monday, CalMac warned it was seeking compensation after an investigation found the reason its largest ferry broke down, causing chaos across the network for seven weeks, may have been due to key screws not being replaced two years earlier during maintenance.
MV Loch Seaforth was taken off the Ullapool-Stornoway route by state ferry operator CalMac in mid-April to be taken into dry dock for "major" engine repairs.
It led to six delays in getting the vessel back in service as repairs continued before coming back into services at the end of May.
Campaigners had described the situation as a "national scandal" and that those responsible should already have lost their jobs for the state of Scotland's ferries.
CalMac said the screws should have been replaced in 2019. An independent report has been commissioned to investigate why this did not happen.
It is believed one of the ferry's piston crowns may have separated from its body and damaged the cylinder head and liner, which caused debris to enter the oil system.
Finlay MacRae, CalMac's head of operations for said: “There is an issue with the pier fenders at Eigg which requires attention by the harbour owner, and we will continue to deliver an amended service until this is addressed. This is in addition to the tidal restrictions currently in place on the service which will be helped by dredging – this work is set to be programmed by the harbour owner.”
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