New CalMac nightmare: Corrosion to keep ageing Isle of Lewis ferry out of action for three months
A stand-in vessel will now serve Barra islanders until May
CalMac has hit yet another problem with its ageing fleet with corrosion found in the ferry serving one of its remotest islands to keep the vessel out of action for up to three months.
The prolonged absence of the 970-passenger Isle of Lewis from the Barra route will mean the redeployment of ferries across the operator’s west coast network will continue until May.
The operator said “steel wastage” which has to be replaced was discovered on top of a fuel tank in 31-year-old Isle of Lewis during a survey as part of its annual overhaul in Aberdeen, which started on February 9.
The ferry was due back in service on March 9, but that was extended last week by up to three months to mid to late May.
A separate fault with the vessel last November left it temporarily unable to carry cars.
A CalMac spokesperson told The Scotsman: “The dry dock operator has advised that the timeline for the work could be up to three months.
“Fuel has been drained from the tank and there is equipment including the sewage treatment plant, ballast pumps, fire pumps and associated pipework that needs to be removed to complete the steel renewal.”
The Isle of Mull ferry has been covering the five-and-a-half hour Oban-Barra route during the Isle of Lewis’ annual overhaul.
Isle of Arran has in in turn been redeployed from the Troon-Brodick in Arran route to operate the main Mull route between Oban and Craignure in its place.
Isle of Mull is also serving South Uist to cover for other ferries also undergoing annual overhauls.
CalMac plans to announce this week how the routes will be covered for the rest of Isle of Lewis’ absence.
Barra and Vatersay Transport Committee said the ferry redeployments were based on "flawed data”.
Isle of Mull is able to carry 66 cars compared to the Isle of Lewis’ capacity for 95 cars.
Brian Currie, its ferries representative, said: “What is frustrating is the now-familiar pattern - CalMac will lay out a plan with no prior consultation, ask for feedback once decisions are effectively made, and then proceed to implement what they had already determined.
“As long as it aligns with CalMac’s internal priorities, that is what communities are given - regardless of the evidence presented to them.
“Vessel allocation decisions continue to rely on flawed data, despite our committee providing clear evidence that a smaller vessel would not meet demand.”
However, CalMac said there had been no capacity problems while Isle of Mull was on the route.
Previous major ferry problems have included Caledonian Isles being off the Ardrossan-Brodick route for almost two years. A new fault with its propulsion system has forced the cancellation of sailings on Sunday and Monday.
Meanwhile, CalMac’s temporary charter of the catamaran Alfred from Orkney, which began nearly three years ago, is being extended again, by another week until next Sunday.
This is to cover the prolonged absence of Glen Sannox, its newest ferry, from the Troon to Brodick route since November. The vessel is due back on Friday after additional repairs.
CalMac said it was also “looking at the potential to extend the Alfred for longer” after its upcoming annual overhaul, which has been deferred until after the additional week’s charter.
Its spokesperson said: “We are reviewing deployment plans for the remainder of overhaul season, and further details will be shared with communities in the coming days.”
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