MV Loch Seaforth ferry finally returns to Ullapool-Stornoway route following repairs – but runs into storm over company's future
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AFTER nearly seven weeks of repairs and knock-on travel chaos, CalMac's biggest ship has finally returned to the Ullapool-Stornoway route.
But she has sailed into another storm about the future direction of the state-run company.
CalMac's independent watchdog lambasted the lack of clear investment and resilience to breakdowns in the ageing fleet. Ironically the MV Loch Seaforth is only seven years old.
The £42m vessel returned to the ferry terminal in Stornoway on Sunday (May 30) after protracted sea trials following the completion of her engine repairs on Friday in Gourock.
During the trails she'd been almost as far south as the Isle of Man and out in the Atlantic north of the Butt of Lewis.
But the "disastrous consequences" of the ferries fiasco have been outlined by Ferries Community Board (Clyde and Hebrides) after a series of meetings with transport officials and ferry representatives.
Chairman Angus Campbell said the name of the board – formerly the CalMac Community Board – now "reflects an independent position".
The Board said it had a positive initial meeting with the new transport minister, Graeme Dey, who last week admitted islanders had suffered "intolerable" disruption.
The Board said in a statement: "The minister confirmed that the position the island communities found themselves in through a lack of resilience in the fleet had to be addressed.
"He understands the frustration and anger that exists across the network, and he has committed to doing all he can to improve the immediate situation and work with stakeholders to plan a more resilient and sustainable service going forward. It was confirmed that proposals to hire in additional tonnage is at an advanced stage and other proposals for short to medium term improvements would be considered.
"The minister also recognised the important part the communities’ voice can play in future planning and the benefit an inclusive approach can bring to future developments. The minister also wishes to have a good working relationship with the Ferries Community Board and the island communities they serve.
"Our board looks forward to working effectively with the Minister and other stakeholders to ensure that the unacceptable level of damage to the social and economic fabric of our islands across the network will not be repeated.
"The board also had separate sessions with senior Transport Scotland officials, the Chief Executive of CMAL and the Managing Director of CalMac.
"Options were discussed around the condition and age of the fleet and particularly around what short term alternative usage options there were. Immediately are there other ways of working or modifying restrictions to gain more capacity and can we understand what prohibits more flexible solutions?
"Questions were asked around the dry docking as to whether all essential repairs were done and if better investments in time and resource in dry docking would prevent future breakdowns. There was general agreement this would be a positive move although recognising that longer dry-docking periods would mean longer periods of vessels being unavailable unless we brought spare tonnage into the fleet. The urgent efforts to obtain some new tonnage was welcomed.
"The board also emphasised the need for the need for a clear program of investment from the finance identified in the last budget. We were clear that communities’ voices must be heard in the formulation of the program. Best value for money has to be achieved and consideration given if all the needs of the service will be met within these resources in an acceptable timeframe.
"The board emphasised to all parties the disastrous consequences of the present situation on communities, individuals and businesses and offered to work constructively to accelerate improvements that will meet the needs of our communities."
CalMac chief executive, Robbie Drummond, said: “We are working intensively to bring the network back up to normal.”
He added: “We do appreciate how hard and disruptive the loss of the Loch Seaforth has been for our communities and customers and we apologise again.”
MV Isle of Lewis and MV Hebridean Isles will be released from their Stornoway relief duties.
The Lewis is due to return to Castlebay by Wednesday. Her appearance will permit MV Lord of the Isles – which has been operating a special combined South Uist and Barra service, diverted to Oban – to undertake shorter Uist to Mallaig sailings.
During the changeover, new reservations on a number of routes may be unavailable as CalMac gives priority to existing bookings.
Hauliers were up against the clock on Sunday in an attempt to get tens of thousands of pounds worth of prime fresh salmon to market after valuable consignments were stranded in Stornoway due to ferry problems.
Three containers of salmon and a truck-load of perishable premium shellfish – much of it destined for the continent – were left behind at Stornoway early on Saturday morning when CalMac's designated relief freight vessel MV Hebridean Isles failed to sail due to a "technical issue."
