After transport minister Jenny Gilruth convened a resilience meeting with the local MP, MSP, councillors and other stakeholders Alasdair Allan the SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar said the minister agreed to look at whether a compensation scheme can be created from financial performance penalties imposed on CalMac. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Travel company https://www.youtube.com/user/CalMacFerriesLtd Islanders' anger at wider ferry disruption. Ferguson copied a large section of its bid from a CalMac document. "We will be looking at the substance of the allegations raised around procurement by the programme before deciding whether further audit work is required," it said. [5] The second, Hull 802, is as yet unnamed. Duncan Hamilton, SNP list MSP for the Highlands and Islands, is quoted to dismiss Mr Sinclair's track-record. The fleet can be categorised into various groups. MVIsle of Arran, As the third-largest vessel in the fleet, she brought new levels of capacity and passenger comfort to the routes. He said he was not aware of any interference by ministers or civil servants in the procurement process. One of the dilemmas facing Scotland's ferry network is that it needs to commit to new ships now that could be in service for decades - yet it is still unclear which future technology will win out. heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. HP10 9TY. During adverse weather conditions, Caledonian Isles has been diverted to Gourock. MVHebrides, MVChieftain is a passenger-only vessel leased from Clyde Marine to operate the Gourock to Kilcreggan service since June 2020. Caledonian Isles started operating from the new Brodick ferry terminal later that day. Even the newer ships have had breakdowns - CalMac's biggest ship MV Loch Seaforth, built in 2014, was out of action for weeks last year due to engine damage, with knock-on effects hitting many other services. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. why; as on last Wednesday, our attention was drawn to an astonishing onslaught on ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne. On Friday, as MV Isle of Mull was brought in the North Uist Community Pressure Group tweeted that it was hopeful that vital food supplies would arrive. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. MVLord of the Isles, The central casing means that she can only carry one lane of commercial vehicles down each side of the car deck. Of the 10 largest ferries, four are more than 30 years old and the MV Isle of Arran is 39. "You would think they can just put another ferry on but then they say they can't, just suck it up. Initially scheduled to return to service on 2nd February,[14] she experienced significant delays during overhaul due to additional steel work and engine repairs being required. Glen Sannox floated high in the water after it was launched in 2017 because so much equipment had yet to be fitted, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. A SCOTS seafood firm could be forced to close with the loss of 100 jobs due to an unreliable and 'weather-shy' ferry service. 'For god's sake do something': Food rationing fury as islanders blame CalMac ferry cancellations. It means that Glen Sannox will now be five years late and will not see service till between March and May 2023 at the earliest, while Hull 802 is not due to set sail till between October and December 2023. The costs for the works is expected to cost around 1.4bn plan but it is estimated to soar with inflation after many years of under-investment. She is used extensively by day-trippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer. She is powered by a hybrid combination of batteries and a small diesel engine - a world first for a sea-going RO-RO vessel. While few dispute the need for new ferries, there is far less consensus on what type of vessels should be purchased. At least three runs - Stornoway, Craignure, and Brodick - are notionally profitable. [1] The 2 larger lifeboats were replaced in 2017 to make way for the new marine evacuation system. One design was eliminated because it was considered overpowered. The documentary learned that last November union representatives told Finance Secretary Kate Forbes they had lost confidence in the senior management team. When he later agreed to buy the yard, he said there were "no sweeteners" - but that he insisted on a letter from Alex Salmond promising a 12m order for a small CalMac ferry to enable him to re-employ the workers. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The workers who saw the ferries saga unfold, Ten things we learned about the ferries fiasco, Mackay accepts role in 'catastrophic' ferries failure, Overdue ferry sets sail for new construction phase, Ferries deal awarded without financial safeguards. She is instead used mostly for goods and vital equipment for the islands. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. MVLoch Portain, MVLoch Buie and MVLoch Shira also have a lounge above the car deck. The historic oil recipe is based on what was used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the formula of which has been used for hundreds of years. Hardly anything is coming in the shops we are limited to one carton of milk. Kerevan does not include in his report quotes from CalMac's managers or officials. It follows the Scottish Government's transport minister Jenny Gilruth warning it will be financially challenging" to fix Scotland's ferry shortage by the end of the decade. "Our dedicated frontline staff will continue to work with local communities to understand and support their priorities. The past two years have seen a significant drop in numbers due to Covid restrictions but the ferry network is once again struggling to cope. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. On Friday it emerged the government faces a 5million bill after losing a High Court case related to takeover of Ferguson's. Meanwhile, a contract to deliver MV Glen Sannox and a sister ferry in 2018 won't now be completed until 2023 with costs doubling to 200million. The issue revolves around the MV Hebrides, one of CalMacs oldest ferries, which was taken out of service on Tuesday for a third time in a matter of weeks because of an issue with its CO2 firefighting system - which is a safety issue. MV Loch Seaforth. There are presently ten vessels over 80 metres (260 feet) in length in the CalMac fleet: From May to September 2013, MVIsle of Arran could carry its full capacity throughout the week, doubling the service to Arran from Monday to Wednesday. Two new dual fuel ferries are being built by Ferguson Marine Engineering. Also on this level are the four enclosed lifeboats 2 larger and 2 smaller boats mounted on davits. Last year the Scottish government promised 580m of investment in Scotland's ferry network over the next five years - about half of it for new ships - but some claim, given the scale of the problem, that's nowhere near enough. The cost to the public purse has risen to 2.5 times the original 97m budget - and the first ship won't be handed over to CalMac until the spring of 2023 at the earliest, nearly five years late. . Teaching strikes reprieve in doubt as union blasts 14% pay rise as 'paltry'. The new offer will see teachers getting a 12.3% increase by April 2023, and it will rise to 14% by 2024. It's a ''nationalised dinosaur'' succeeding in only one thing - ''getting the taxpayer to fork . Mark Daly investigates what went wrong at the Ferguson shipyard, and raises questions about the tender process that saw the contract awarded in 2015. "Significant investments are being progressed by the Scottish government and its partners.". These vessels usually operate on the longer crossings, with high passenger numbers. Please contact the server administrator at .''. The rank outsider to become First Minister has only received the public backing of one serving politician, Joanna Cherry, amid struggles to get her campaign going. CMAL said in a statement that new information contained in the programme would need to be "carefully investigated". they had lost confidence in the senior management team. In April 2015, MVIsle of Arran had problems with her prop shaft which delayed the introduction of her additional Arran summer sailings, leaving Caledonian Isles to carry all the traffic and run additional sailings at night. The Times reports an equally bleak picture across the CalMac fleet in terms of upkeep and new vessels. Deputy First Minister John Swinney has pledged to look into the new evidence. Talent like Captains Gunn or Morrison of the Hebrides, or chief engineer MacLennan of the Caledonian Isles, is not readily found nor lightly bought. We will continue to do our best to balance demand to capacity however, with no spare vessels and limited deployment options, capacity may be reduced on some routes and in some situations, we may need to prioritise essential bookings. It was hoped that the ferry might be back in operation today after its loss led to major disruption with the shutdown for three days of two routes between Uig on Skye, Lochmaddy on North Uist and Tarbert on Harris. She is a spare vessel during the winter months. CalMac recruits from the breadth of the western seaboard. [19] This allows her to berth a considerable distance from slipways, protecting her exposed Azipod propulsion systems in shallow waters. She is a double-ender ferry with passenger capacity for 195, and capacity for 40 cars, or 4 HGVs. During the summer 2012 period, the capacity was limited to 12 passengers for HGV drivers during the week, whilst a full passenger service was provided on Saturdays. The upper deck has the bridge and outside seating from the huge red funnel towards the stern. They have red funnels with black caps that display the Lion Rampant badge with masts in buff. MV Caledonian Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Eileanan Chaledonia) is one of the largest ships owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. The first thing they do is they better buy two cartons of milk, or two two packs of Lurpak. "People aren't stupid, they know that there is not ferry and there is usually a daily lorry with fresh stuff. . These can be moved up and down to their deployed or stowed positions. Isle of Arran undertook services from Ardrossan to Campbeltown on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, returning on Friday, Saturday (via Brodick) and Sunday, whilst still operating from Ardrossan to Arran outwith its Campbeltown sailings. CalMac is ''renowned for its high prices, uncomfortable boats, and disregard for customers . The car deck incorporates a set of mezzanine decks, one down each side of the central casing and each divided into three sections. But like the metaphor about the time it takes to turn a tanker around, the problems facing CalMac's fleet are going to take a long time to fix. Let's tally Kerevan's mistakes. The engine is currently being repaired, flushed and inspected. The delays have added to pressure on CalMac's old and increasingly unreliable fleet. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please This has resulted in some island communities being left relying on a single ferry as some boats were taken off their usual routes to cover other services. We are doing this to improve the experience forour loyalreaders and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. CalMac is conducting its own internal inquiry and said the. Something needs to change.". We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. Even then, blundering officials had to remove the documents after they forgot to redact her bank details, Frogmore eviction 'leaked' by Palace as political tactic insider claims. The ferry operator is facing frequent issues as it has to constantly repair the aging fleet which is blighted with problems due to the lack of back ups. "Why isn't there an automatic plan in place, so that when a ferry goes off there is another there and you do this and that. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. A Norwegian ferry operator has taken delivery of a boat powered by liquid hydrogen - but this is still prototype technology. But those "green" claims are questionable - LNG is still a fossil fuel, and it has to be imported from Qatar before being driven hundreds of miles from Kent to Scotland. The ferries, formerly operated by Argyll Ferries, were acquired when the company was incorporated into Caledonian MacBrayne in January 2019.[17]. Scottish Government-controlled ferry operator Calmac were forced to make moves to provide an emergency ferry from one of Scotlands busiest routes to Mull to serve the stricken islands in the Outer Hebrides. She was removed from service and relieved by Isle of Arran, with Loch Riddon providing additional capacity on the Lochranza - Claonaig route alongside Catriona. They vary in length from 30.2 to 54.27m (99ft 1in to 178ft 1in). Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Documents obtained by BBC Disclosure indicate that successful bidder Ferguson Marine Engineering benefited from preferential treatment. [13], Caledonian Isles departed for annual overhaul in early January 2023. MVFinlaggan and MVHebridean Isles serve Islay from Kennacraig. The company, based in Drumchapel, has reportedly ceased all trading with its annual results currently overdue by more than two months. The much delayed MVGlen Sannox is expected to serve Arran from 2022,[2][3][4] replacing MVIsle of Arran and allowing Caledonian Isles to become the second ferry on the Ardrossan-Brodick and the Ardrossan-Campbeltown crossings. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. in the server error log. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide answers to many common questions about booking and travelling, including information around routes, vehicles, children, dogs, online bookings and refunds. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. It said its board had voiced concerns to Transport Scotland about the contract award to Fergusons, particularly in relation to the lack of refund guarantees, which were well-documented. The average life of a ferry increased from 17 to nearly 26 years since the SNP came to power in 2007. Yet it is false to say that ''not one of Caledonian MacBrayne's 29 vessels'' makes a profit. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. Some island communities have suggested they would be better served by a greater number of smaller vessels, and that shore-based crews could boost their economies. The ferry operator said the Inner Hebrides' MV Clansman and Islay's MV Hebridean Isles are out of action due to technical problems and delays have delayed the return of Arran's MV Caledonian Isles from its annual overhaul as the ship has been in dry dock since 9 January. [20][21] Following a naming competition, CMAL announced renaming as MV Loch Frisa.[22]. CMAL confirmed that an in-person meeting for the purposes of clarification did take place at the shipyard on 4 June, but said it believed this was normal and appropriate. CalMac, apparently, runs a ''lucrative monopoly'', threatened by ''up to a dozen rivals who are expected to bid for the state-owned company's network'', according to a ''leading maritime expert'', Professor Neil Kay of Strathclyde University.