Anger as CalMac ferry set to be sidelined for eight months over 'rust'

The ferry operator had warned in February of disruption across the Clyde and Hebrides network as a result of steelwork issues with the 31-year-old ferry which serves on the Arran route, one of the busiest on the Scottish coast, and is due to be replaced.

It has been out of action since going for an overhaul at the start of January and it had been hoped in the last update that it would be back by July to help with the busy summer period.

But The Herald understands that user groups who have been pushing for contingency plans have now discovered that the vessel will not return till sometime in late August at the earliest.

They have been told that the repair plan shows there was still a significant amount of work still to be done.

It is understood that no contingency plans have yet been agreed to deal with the further disruption.

It was sidelined for over three months with further steelwork and engine difficulties this time last year with repair work then estimated at £1m. It had been due to leave the yard after an overhaul before issues with the engines, steelwork and bearings were noted by engineers.

Further steelwork problems were attributed to a further period spent in the yard in early 2022.

The vessel was found to have had major technical problems during overhaul again this year and was not expected back till at least the end of next March originally.

Users had been told that the vessel needs "extensive steelwork" leading to concerns that it is suffering rust issues.

A ferry user group official said that the latest development was "yet another in a long line of disasters" to hit the west coast ferry fleet.

"If this is correct, then this unholy mess for the service has just got a whole lot messier and CalMac and the Scottish Government need to come up with some kind of solution to this continual resilience issue in the short term," he said. It is one of now three ferries that have been sidelined.

It emerged that the 29-year-old MV Isle of Lewis was put out of action after issues surfaced on Sunday.

It is berthed in Greenock for repairs to a bow visor.

The development has caused disruption to services to and from the beleaguered island of South Uist.

One of the oldest vessels in CalMac's ageing fleet, the 37-year-old MV Isle of Mull has been drafted in to operate an emergency combined two-island timetable till Friday to and from Barra and Lochboisdale, the main port on South Uist. It had already been shifted from the Mull service to operate to and from South Uist until May 10 due to network issues.

Scottish Government-owned CalMac has told users that preparation of a full and permanent repair plan is underway and once completed they will be able to define an estimated repair duration.

MV Isle of Lewis joined MV Loch Shira and MV Caledonian Isles on the sidelines as delays to the ferry operator's annual overhaul programme has resulted in disruption across the Clyde and Hebrides network.

CalMac had been carrying out trials using MV Isle of Mull to and from Uig, part of the Skye Triangle route, serving Uist and Harris. But they discovered that the vessels would not be able to deliver a regular timetabled service there.

CalMac was forced to remove MV Loch Shira from one of its busiest routes on April 5 due to it being damaged by heavy vehicles and was expected to be sidelined for months.

The vessel, which usually operates on the Largs to Cumbrae route, entered dry docks for repairs and is not expected back until mid-June at the earliest.

The MV Loch Riddon had been operating a single vessel service leaving customers facing an increase in waiting times.

CalMac had redeployed the oldest ferry in its fleet – MV Isle of Cumbrae – as the supporting second vessel on the route until another vessel was able to take over.

The ferry operator has warned users that until further notice due to smaller vessels operating on the route, vehicle capacity has been slashed and queues are to be expected.

It comes as CalMac's spend on unplanned maintenance of the ageing ferry fleet has more than trebled in five-and-a-half years.

Details from the state-owned ferry operator shows that over the period some £16m has had to be spent on the unexpected repairs.

While an average of £147,377-a-month was being spent on the CalMac fleet nearly six years ago the bill has risen to £481,310 now.

Concerns have been raised that some £3,850,483 was spent on unplanned ferry maintenance in the first eight months of 2023/24 - already the highest since CalMac began tracking the spend.

It represents a rise of more than £800,000 on the bill for the whole of 2022/23.

Meanwhile, new ferries Glen Sannox and sister ship Glen Rosa, which were due online in the first half of 2018, with both now due to serve Arran, are at least six years late, with costs expected to be quadruple the original £97m contract.

CalMac’s interim chief executive Duncan Mackison said: "In the last week, we have been advised that the scope of repairs will take significantly longer than anticipated.

“We know this news is disappointing, particularly for people on Arran, which is normally served by the vessel. We issued a revised summer timetable when we knew MV Caledonian Isles would be unavailable for a significant period of time. That timetable will remain in place until she is ready to return, though we will continue to explore what we can do to support the service on that route.

“The scope of work provided in February was indicative and subject to change based on a full analysis of the vessel’s repair needs. The nature of the vessel’s structure is such that this analysis has been ongoing alongside repairs. This is a highly complex repair effort where we have to be mindful of the vessel’s age and condition.

“As part of the works, the auxiliary engines and their bedplates were removed from the vessel to allow access to the double bottom water ballast tank tops. The structure below the main engines is being supported using hydraulic jacks, whilst the steel around these engines is renewed. The main engines will need to be lifted off their bedplates to allow access under the engines for renewal of the tank top steel directly below the sump.  

“With our partners, we exhausted every possible avenue to avoid removing the engines, but this is the only way to complete the works to the standard required.

“Our aim is to get the vessel back into service as quickly as possible, and it is in that spirit that we are in regular contact with the dry dock operator, which is working around the clock to complete these repairs at speed. We will continue to liaise with the Arran Ferry Committee and other local stakeholders on the vessel’s progress.” 

Scottish Conservative west Scotland MSP Jamie Greene said: “This is yet another hammer blow to the residents of Arran who have suffered more than anyone from the SNP’s ferries scandal.

“The impact this is having on tourism, the wider island economy and the quality of life of Arran residents is devastating.

“Scotland’s island communities continue to be betrayed by the SNP’s breath-taking incompetence. While senior officials at Ferguson Marine and CalMac have carried the can and lost their jobs, it’s outrageous that we’ve still not had a single ministerial resignation.”

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "We recognise the impact that delays and disruption have on our island communities and this government is committed to investing in our ferry services. 

“The delay regarding the MV Caledonian Isles is regrettable and we expect CalMac to be working with the experts in the field to ensure work is progressed at pace. The Transport Secretary has previously spoken with CalMac to stress that everything must be done to address capacity and provide assurances for the Arran community as we approach the summer.

“From the start of the summer timetable, 29 March, the MV Alfred has also be operating from Troon.  CalMac ensured that over the Easter holidays, the MV Alfred operated at her full passenger capacity of 428 rather than the current 230, and will continue to engage with Pentland Ferries on this for the upcoming summer period. We expect CalMac to engage with communities and key stakeholders throughout this period of disruption.

“Delivering six new major vessels to serve Scotland’s ferry network by 2026 is a priority. We have invested more than £2 billion in our ferry services since 2007 and we have outlined plans to invest around £700 million in a five year plan to improve ferry infrastructure.”