SCOTLAND’s west coast ferry operator CalMac has announced a series of cancellations and route re-deployments amid “exceptional circumstances” hitting services.
CalMac said on Wednesday that the popular Ardrossan to Campbeltown route would not sail in 2025 “due to lack of vessel availability for it”.
The ferry operator also announced that various vessels will be kept in for repairs for longer than planned, impacting on service delivery.
This includes:
- The MV Caledonian Isles, which had been scheduled to return to service on March 28. CalMac said it requires extra time in dry dock “for machining of stern tubes” and is now expected back by mid-April.
- The MV Isle of Lewis, which operates to Barra. The ship is delayed in overhaul and instead of returning on February 28 will now return to service on March 23, CalMac said.
- The MV Clansman, CalMac said, has been “slightly delayed in overhaul" and will now resume service on March 9.
- The MV Isle of Mull continues to operate with a passenger limit of 45 plus crew due to her marine evacuation system being condemned.
Duncan Mackison, CalMac’s chief executive, said: “We are dealing with an exceptional set of circumstances here. Challenges with several vessels in the fleet have converged at the same time, creating a significant capacity issue which leaves us with difficult choices to make in terms of service provision.
“Given the age of our fleet and the need to overhaul all vessels outside of the busy summer season, our vessels are spending a record amount of time in overhaul this winter.
“This stretches our services and, when unplanned delays such as those we’re experiencing with MV Isle of Lewis and MV Clansman are factored in, our resources to the limit.
“With MV Isle of Lewis and MV Clansman delayed in overhaul, MV Isle of Mull operating a reduced capacity and MV Caledonian Isles still in for repairs, we’re operating with approximately one third of our major vessels unavailable or carrying restrictions.
“Despite this we are maintaining core services to all island communities.”
Of the cancelled Campbeltown route, Mackison said: “Cancelling a service is not something we do lightly, whether for one sailing or for a prolonged period of time. MV Isle of Arran is a stalwart of our major vessel fleet and is needed on island routes.
“We do recognise that this is disappointing news for the Campbeltown community, but we do have to prioritise island communities where the ferry service is a genuine life-line and other modes of transport are not available.”
