We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse. The spokesman said an additional sailing was due to set off yesterday (Saturday) evening between Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis and Ullapool on the mainland to help move freight. It would be interesting to see Kerevan's obsession with the profit-motive applied, say, to the police, or our prisons, or the armed forces. webmaster@uh-solugrifos.mipaginawebadministrable.com to inform them of the time this error occurred, There is no standard over 60s ticket, but there are concessions available for islanders in certain areas. She is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which runs ferries to the Hebridean and Clyde Islands of Scotland. The Mull and Iona Ferry Committee has urged Transport Scotland to buy MV Pentalina. He has been contacted for comment. The shipyard was allowed to significantly change its design halfway through the tender by developing a variant mentioned but discounted in its original submission. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. MV Hebrides was first removed from service in mid-June due to a problem with its fire-fighting system. The Aberdeen youth product is training with the under-21s after falling out-of-favour on Tyneside. The government then appointed a "turnaround director", Tim Hair, who reported it would cost an extra 110m to finish the vessels. CalMac and CMAL, another government agency which owns the ships and harbours, have a reputation for choosing a certain type of vessel - large, sophisticated mono-hulled ships with capacity for the crew to sleep on board. Scarcely a major ship in the network sails without a Harrisman; island sea skills draw on generations of experience. At 30.2m (99ft 1in) in length, they can carry 12 cars and 200 passengers. MVCaledonian Isles, But the project has been. The problem with CalMac's ageing ferries - BBC News CalMac said it was down to strong winds. She measures 50m (164ft 1in) long by 14.5m (47ft 7in) metres wide. During her repairs, MVHebridean Isles took up service on the Arran crossing, while MVCatriona operated a shuttle service from Claonaig to Lochranza to clear the backlog of traffic unable to board the smaller Hebridean Isles at Ardrossan. Editors' Code of Practice. While few dispute the need for new ferries, there is far less consensus on what type of vessels should be purchased. MV Caledonian Isles - Wikipedia 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. More information about this error may be available Nor are we advised of Professor Kay's expertise in maritime affairs, but his obscurity is such that he enjoys no entry in Who's Who in Scotland. The next deck up has the forward observation lounge at the bow and crew accommodation. 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. Humza Yousaf takes the lead as SNP members swing behind Nicola Sturgeon's man, The 'worst health secretary in the history of devolution' is just ahead of his rivals in the SNP leadership contest, although a third of Nat members still don't know who to vote for, Ian Blackford 'looking forward' to end of police probe into SNP's 'murky' finances as he dodges Peter Murrell question. It comes after a summer of cancellations and disruption across the CalMac ferry network due to breakdowns with the ageing ferry fleet. A problem with the firefighting equipment on MV Lord of the Isles has forced CalMac to withdraw it from service for and estimated eight days from the Mallaig-Lochboisdale route. 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. Were this one man's ravings, it might matter little. [1] She was built for and has run on the Largs to Cumbrae route since 2007. In the past, the journalists job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. No prominent backers appear for Ash Regan despite claims endorsements would arrive this week. Islanders from Arran to Islay have lodged complaints. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. CMAL had used the same firm to help draft the tender pack which went to bidders, but has previously told MSPs it saw nothing problematic in this. On Friday 22nd April, CalMac announced that Caledonian Isles would remain out of service for at least three weeks whilst undergoing repairs in Troon. Others have already leapt upon Kerevan's vagueness. Agency safety regulations. CalMac's main Arran ferry resumes sailings. 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. This caused significant disruption to the Arran service, with all vehicle bookings cancelled and a significant reduction in capacity. 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. . Ferry service getting worse admits Calmac boss - BBC News error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Announcements that Caledonian MacBrayne ferries have been withdrawn from service for repairs are becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Millions of public pounds were sunk in badly-sited terminals and an inadequate new ferry. Next on the shopping list is a replacement for 33-year-old MV Lord of the Isles, which operates between Mallaig and South Uist - but that's at an early stage and a new ship could be several years away. 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. 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. She was built in 2015 as Utne and operated for Norled for 6 years. CalMac have insisted that all food was being shipped and said it was not fair to say that any shortages were the direct result of the ferry issues. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. 2023 BBC. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. During this period, MVLoch Riddon operated additional services from Claonaig to Lochranza. "They are all working hard to support our customers through this period - although disruptions are frustrating, please remember to treat them with respect. MV Loch Seaforth. CalMac is the Scottish Government-owned operator of the current eight-year ferry contract, awarded by Transport Scotland after a competition with private sector operator Serco and due to end in. Such craft are prohibitively expensive to fuel, cause dangerous ''superwaves'' in enclosed waters, and could never manage the exposed seas of Hebridean winter. She is a spare vessel during the winter months. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to The following month it was announced that Mr Hair was moving on. We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse. CalMac initially announced a provisional return date of 28th February, but this was later pushed back to 31st March. THE Scotsman has never been popular in the Highlands. by the paper's associate editor, George Kerevan, was so dire it seems the hapless Kerevan would be hard-pressed to tell a bowloader from a paddle-steamer. The following year his new firm, Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL), won a 97m contract to build two dual fuel LNG vessels for state-owned ferry operator CalMac. why; as on last Wednesday, our attention was drawn to an astonishing onslaught on ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne. The upper deck has the bridge and outside seating from the huge red funnel towards the stern. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? [12], In April 2022, Caledonian Isles suffered a port engine failure and struck the breakwater. His 454-day tenure in the role cost the taxpayer almost 1.3m but BBC Disclosure has learned that it ended in more disillusionment for the workforce. A 105m order for the next two big ships - for the Islay route - has now been signed with a Turkish shipyard and, if all goes to plan, they should be delivered in 2024/2025. .''. [9], On 16 March 2019 Caledonian Isles rammed the pier at Brodick after her bow thrusters failed, causing significant damage to her bow visor. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Despite many false dawns, the workforce told the BBC there was now a growing optimism that the ferries would be completed next year, and that the modernised shipyard could restore its reputation. We are lucky at The Herald. Most islands in the west of Scotland rely on services from state-owned CalMac, which operates 34 vessels - the largest fleet in the UK. [20][21] Following a naming competition, CMAL announced renaming as MV Loch Frisa.[22]. heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. Caledonian Isles serves the Isle of Arran on the Ardrossan to Brodick route. [1] During the summer, MVIsle of Arran, replaced at Islay in 2011,[2] supplements the Ardrossan - Brodick service and sails to Campbeltown. 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. .'' You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . The vessel, which can carry 612 passengers and 90 cars, was due to be replaced by a new ship, one of two dual-fuel vessels at the centre of a ferry-building fiasco that are languishing in Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow on the Clyde. It's untrue that Ailsa of Troon supplied most CalMac ferries - of the present operational fleet, Ferguson's of Port Glasgow constructed seven; Lamont's, six, Richard Dunstan (Hessle) four, and Ailsa only three. Catalog; For You; Scottish Daily Mail. One such vessel, a medium-sized Norwegian ferry now renamed MV Loch Frisa, is due to enter service on the Craignure to Oban route in June. CalMac, the state-owned ferry company, has decided motorhomes, camper vans and caravans will only be allowed on their services if they have a confirmed reservation, in a bid to placate. Ignoring all counsel from those who knew the Pentland Firth, Orkney Islands Council financed a short crossing from Gillis Bay, Caithness, to South Ronaldsay. has a calmac ferry ever sunk. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. HP10 9TY. [8] The new terminal has two ferry berths: the west side berth and the east side berth. 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. "Toilets, kettle and microwave are available to use," they said. Her vehicle deck can accommodate up to 14 cars, but is empty on most sailings due to the lack of roads and vehicle restrictions on the Small Isles. John Daniel Peteranna of the group, whose South Uist-based renewable energy company supplies wind turbines to make help make homes self-sufficient said: "It is just not sustainable. More: Kerevan and his paper attack not a company, but a community. Back in 2015, the 97m order was seen as a lifeline for Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow - the. There was much controversy following the decision to award the shipbuilding contracts to yards outside Scotland. "People aren't stupid, they know that there is not ferry and there is usually a daily lorry with fresh stuff. Why doesn't he name them? The introduction of heavily-subsidised road equivalent tariffs - aligning fares with the cost of road travel - has increased ferry traffic over the past decade, with 5.7m passengers and nearly 1.5m vehicles being carried in 2019 before the pandemic. ], she usually berths overnight at Ardrossan all year. It said: "We have had visitors cancel their holidays, leaving accommodation and activities providers with late cancellations, no fresh food in supermarkets, restaurants struggling to get supplies, visitors sleeping in cars and village halls, visitors re-routed hundreds of milesand the list goes on. CalMac has warned of further disruption to its ferry services caused by a lack of backup vessels after three of its ten main ships are out of action till at least mid-March due to technical problems. A replacement programme for seven smaller vessels has begun, and is currently at the "concept design" phase. In 1974 the average life of a ferry was 13 years old. The issues have meant that other ferries such as MV Hebrides have had overhauls delayed until March 20 to cover for MV Clansman which suffered a starboard main engine failure after sea trials over a technical issue. Comments have been closed on this article. Jim McColl confirmed to BBC Disclosure that he first looked into buying Fergusons at least two months before it went bust. The Jupiter, for instance, may have wooden decks, but she played no part in the evacuation of Dunkirk, nor was Vasco da Gama ever captain of her. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. They were nicknamed the "streakers", because of their speed and ability to manoeuvre rapidly both at sea and in port. The present MV Clansman is the fifth vessel to carry the name in the CalMac fleet over the years. 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. Having ship-based crews, it says, provides more robust staffing. [1] The largest and newest, MVLoch Shira, is 54.27 by 13.90m (178ft 1in by 45ft 7in) and can carry 32 cars and 250 passengers. The ten key vessels are MV Isle of Arran, MV Hebridean Isles, MV Isle of Mull, MV Lord of the Isles, MV Caledonian Isles, MV Isle of Lewis, MV Clansman, MV Hebrides, MV Finlaggan, and MV Loch Seaforth. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. Residents on Mull have urged Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth to consider a system used for the Danish island of Samso where are proportion of spaces are held back for locals, based on evidence of demand. boeing 767 patriot express. She is a bow loading vessel of similar design to the Island Class vessels and can take twelve passengers and one car, although due to vehicle restrictions on Kerrera she rarely carries cars. THE owner of Scotland's ferry fleet demanded a foreign firm pay up to 100,000 to gain UK maritime approval for a 9m vessel it was negotiating to buy to ease chaos on the network ending in the. She was relieved by Isle of Arran which was often diverted to Wemyss Bay and Gourock. The documentary learned that last November union representatives told Finance Secretary Kate Forbes they had lost confidence in the senior management team. She is the smallest vessel in the fleet. Caledonian MacBrayne (Calmac) vessels can be readily identified by their black hulls and white superstructures. A leaked dossier has suggested the process of awarding a 97m Scottish ferries contract may have been rigged. This peak summer service originally operated between June and August however, due to demand, operates from May to September since 2013. Caledonian Isles has only ever operated between Ardrossan and Brodick on Arran. Since the SNP took power in 2007, the rate at which new vessels are produced has more than halved. During the period of the summer timetable there is an additional sailing on Friday evenings, leaving Ardrossan at 2030, returning from Brodick at 2140. MVChieftain is a passenger-only vessel leased from Clyde Marine to operate the Gourock to Kilcreggan service since June 2020. GMB union convener John McMunagle said the concerns were raised at board meetings, where they highlighted that there were "managers everywhere" - but they could not get steelworkers. The company leased the cruise boat MVClyde Clipper from Clyde Cruises to start the service, but she was out of service with engine problems for most of the first day.[13]. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Modelled on the popular MVIsle of Mull of five years earlier, Caledonian Isles incorporates a fully enclosed car deck with watertight ramps at either end. The first thing they do is they better buy two cartons of milk, or two two packs of Lurpak. . At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Duncan Hamilton, SNP list MSP for the Highlands and Islands, is quoted to dismiss Mr Sinclair's track-record. Michael Beales men were desperate to put last weeks 2-1 Hampden defeat behind them and faced a Kilmarnock side crying out for success on the road. She was built in 2017 by Malakoff Limited in Shetland. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Also on this level are the four enclosed lifeboats 2 larger and 2 smaller boats mounted on davits. A SCOTS seafood firm could be forced to close with the loss of 100 jobs due to an unreliable and 'weather-shy' ferry service. 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. These vessels usually operate on longer crossings, with high passenger numbers. 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. Nor does Kerevan tell us CalMac has been long forbidden freely to compete on the Dunoon route. As it is one of CalMac's busiest routes, Caledonian Isles has the . Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. contact the editor here. She is used extensively by day-trippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Concessions vary according to the local councils. When MVGlen Sannox enters service in 2023,[2][3][4] Caledonian Isles is expected to become the second vessel on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry crossing. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories. It came as islanders complained to CalMac about food shelves being bare as vital supplies were not reaching shops and evidence of panic buying. A new ferries plan is being promised by the Scottish government by the end of this year. A few ships are knocking on a bit. She has the capacity for 100 passengers. Something went wrong, please try again later. The delays have added to pressure on CalMac's old and increasingly unreliable fleet. 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. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please And he said it may be that the island will have to look at producing milk locally. "We understand how much our customers and communities we serve rely on ferry services, and how challenging this period is. He said he was not aware of any interference by ministers or civil servants in the procurement process. 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. [1] The 2 larger lifeboats were replaced in 2017 to make way for the new marine evacuation system. They were made redundant by the opening of the Skye Bridge and eventually found redeployment elsewhere. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. MVLochnevis is a highly specialised ship serving the Small Isles of Eigg, Canna, Rm and Muck from Mallaig. The current chief executive of CMAL, Kevin Hobbs, declined to be interviewed and when confronted by BBC Disclosure about the findings, made no comment. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. 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. The group said on Thursday in a message to CalMac's managing director Robbie Drummond and Ms Gilruth: "Maybe the plan is that without visitors we wont need many supplies. Anger as new lifeline CalMac ferry is half the size of vessel sunk Talent like Captains Gunn or Morrison of the Hebrides, or chief engineer MacLennan of the Caledonian Isles, is not readily found nor lightly bought. 48 hour snow warning for Scotland as Met Office predicts an icy start to spring, Don't put your winter woollies away yet! [5] The second, Hull 802, is as yet unnamed. Never miss the latest top headlines from the Scottish Daily Express. The ferries, formerly operated by Argyll Ferries, were acquired when the company was incorporated into Caledonian MacBrayne in January 2019.[17]. Aft of the entrance there are lounges down either side with toilet blocks, the shop and a bar lounge further towards the stern. During the winter season, Caledonian Isles goes for her annual overhaul, and is commonly relieved by MVIsle of Arran, MVClansman or MVHebrides. The last sailing from the old Brodick pier was the 0820 to Ardrossan on Tuesday 20 March 2018. She is powered by a hybrid combination of batteries and a small diesel engine - a world first for a sea-going RO-RO vessel. It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse. [11], During her annual overhaul in 2022, unexpected steelworks were required, delaying the vessel's return to service. in the server error log. CMAL and Jim McColl's former management team have blamed each other for problems that later developed with the construction of the ships. After a month the Caithness linkspan was destroyed by gales; the affair finally cost islanders some (pounds) 7m. 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. [1] We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories. Mr Peteranna of the Lochboisdale Ferry Business Impact Group said restrictions on purchase of milk and bread were understandable if people were panic buying because of the ferry issues. Its overhaul has been delayed due to the Clansman not being available to take over its duties; Lord of the Isles - Covering Coll-Tiree-Colonsay services and will have its overhaul once the Clansman returns to service 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. The troubled ships being still being built at Port Glasgow were meant to be "green ferries", using dual-fuel diesel and liquified natural gas (LNG) engines. The Herald on Sunday revealed that the ferry operator had been secretly hit with 3.5m in performance fines in a year by the Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland as concerns rise about the reliability of Scotlands ageing ferry fleet. has a calmac ferry ever sunk - fabriquesat.fr ", Mr Drummond responded: "We are prioritising food deliveries and weve shipped everything the local haulier has asked for. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. The Scottish government's Transport Scotland agency has long known it needs to renew the CalMac fleet - but those ambitions have foundered, in part at least, due to the Ferguson ferry fiasco. The new ships will replace 37-year-old MV Hebridean Isles and allow the 11-year-old MV Finlaggan, to be redeployed. [15] The third hybrid ferry, MVCatriona, was launched on 11 December 2015 and entered service on the Claonaig to Lochranza route in September 2016. Deputy First Minister John Swinney said he was concerned by the BBC's findings and would look into the matter further. Motorhomes and caravans banned from standby Scottish ferries We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. Read about our approach to external linking. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. "Completing the essential overhaul schedule and returning vessels to service is our priority, and we thank you for your patience and understanding.". 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. MVLord of the Isles is based in Mallaig and serves Armadale and South Uist. 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. 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. The deal to build two new CalMac ferries for Arran and the Hebrides has run into serious trouble. Insight: Future of CalMac ferry service under scrutiny as islanders Let's tally Kerevan's mistakes. Ferry passengers petrified in 15-hour storm nightmare It's a ''nationalised dinosaur'' succeeding in only one thing - ''getting the taxpayer to fork . Read about our approach to external linking. He said he had no knowledge of being given special treatment for the larger ferries but accepted that having CalMac's requirements document was an advantage. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. Representatives told the programme they became increasingly worried about the growing number of managers being taken on, which they felt undermined long-term competitiveness, with little evidence of progress. Robbie Drummond, managing director of CalMac, said: During this latest disruption, we have shipped all the food deliveries we have been asked to take. Others have urged CMAL to consider using catamarans, arguing they require smaller engines yet can carry similar numbers of vehicles at a substantially lower cost. Of similar design, but larger than the Loch class, MVHallaig was launched in 2012 for the Raasay service. 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. She is a double-ender ferry with . "We have a senior manager from Scottish Water over visiting projects we are working on and struggling to believe this this kind of thing happens in this day and age," he said. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.