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. Mr Swinney told the Scottish Parliament that he welcomed this move, and that the government's permanent secretary had been in contact with the Auditor General to discuss the matter. Another islander Tullula Tia said: "It's shocking. MVIsle of Mull, This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Humza Yousaf 'should be anti-nationalist choice' for First Minister - because he's so useless, The Majority reckons the health secretary will create a 'raging bin fire' for the SNP if he gets the keys to Bute House when the party votes on a new leader, Rangers players rated as dominant first half enough to see off Kilmarnock to close gap on Celtic at top. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Leaked dossier suggests Scottish ferry deal may have been rigged This has been rejected, although leasing the ship as a temporary measure remains a possibility. 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. 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. We are lucky at The Herald. [1] She was built for and has run on the Largs to Cumbrae route since 2007. "Significant investments are being progressed by the Scottish government and its partners.". 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. A mere 7cm (3in) shorter, MVLoch Fyne and MVLoch Dunvegan were built for the Skye crossing. She is the smallest vessel in the fleet. [10], In October 2019, Caledonian Isles was diverted to Troon as the linkspans in both Ardrossan and Gourock - the vessel's usual port of diversion - failed, resulting in vehicles being unable to board or alight from the ferry there. Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the information presented by BBC Disclosure would be investigated further. MVLoch Frisa is a former Norled ferry bought by Caledonian MacBrayne in 2021. Read about our approach to external linking. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Read about our approach to external linking. CalMac warns of further disruption to ferry service due to lack of VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. in the server error log. 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. 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. It's suggested the timing was just right to coincide with King Charles' controversial meeting with EU leader Ursula von der Leyen. Agency safety regulations. Who are those 12 rival ferry-operators? 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. error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. She was relieved by MVHebridean Isles, thereby causing knock-on cancellations to services to South Uist, where the latter vessel was due to relieve next. MV Caledonian Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Eileanan Chaledonia) is one of the largest ships owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited. A leaked dossier has suggested the process of awarding a 97m Scottish ferries contract may have been rigged. [8] The new terminal has two ferry berths: the west side berth and the east side berth. Let's tally Kerevan's mistakes. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. Four of the 10 largest ferries are beyond their expected operational life. Ministers under fire as cheap deal for new lifeline Scots ferry is sunk The current chief executive of CMAL, Kevin Hobbs, declined to be interviewed and when confronted by BBC Disclosure about the findings, made no comment. The passenger accommodation is similar to that onboard the Mull ship. MV Caledonian Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Eileanan Chaledonia) is one of the largest ships owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited.She is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which runs ferries to the Hebridean and Clyde Islands of Scotland. [1] The 2 larger lifeboats were replaced in 2017 to make way for the new marine evacuation system. Repairs were carried out on the MV Caledonian Isles after an engine failure, The Glen Sannox's construction at Ferguson's shipyard has been troubled, An impression of one of new ferries being built for the Islay route, Privately-run Pentland Ferries has successfully used catamarans to and from Orkney for years, In Denmark, fully-electric ferries are already sailing but only on relatively short routes, Islands like Iona are seeing visitor numbers pick up again, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. READ MORE: Scandal-hit Ferguson Marine faces being dissolved despite millions of taxpayer money being ploughed into it. Caledonian MacBrayne (Calmac) vessels can be readily identified by their black hulls and white superstructures. A Transport Scotland spokesman said: CalMac forms part of the local resilience partnership. your request. CalMac is conducting its own internal inquiry and said the. CalMac's main Arran ferry resumes sailings. And it insists it remains on the lookout for suitable second hand boats. Insight: Future of CalMac ferry service under scrutiny as islanders The West Highland ferry network must operate as one, to allow cross-subsidy of routes and a fleet large enough to cover for breakdown and overhaul. The delays have added to pressure on CalMac's old and increasingly unreliable fleet. HP10 9TY. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's 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. Robbie Drummond, managing director of CalMac, said: During this latest disruption, we have shipped all the food deliveries we have been asked to take. CalMac's oldest is the Isle of Cumbrae which is 47-years old. 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 upper deck has the bridge and outside seating from the huge red funnel towards the stern. Such craft are prohibitively expensive to fuel, cause dangerous ''superwaves'' in enclosed waters, and could never manage the exposed seas of Hebridean winter. She measures 50m (164ft 1in) long by 14.5m (47ft 7in) metres wide. has a calmac ferry ever sunk. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Nor does Kerevan tell us CalMac has been long forbidden freely to compete on the Dunoon route. Find out more about Safer Travel with CalMac. The company provides lifeline services to 23 islands off the west coast of Scotland, as well as operating routes in the Firth of Clyde. [1] During the summer, MVIsle of Arran, replaced at Islay in 2011,[2] supplements the Ardrossan - Brodick service and sails to Campbeltown. He said: "It is material that I take seriously, about which I have concerns, which raises fundamental issues for me about the fairness and the appropriateness of the tender process.". Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 21:35, "Costs double on delayed CalMac ferry contract", "Shipyard turnaround is 'most challenging in UK', "Gourock passengers' anger as Arran ferry is given priority", "New Arran Ferry set to launch next June - government confirms", "New Brodick Ferry Terminal Opens To Passengers", "Technical failure causes major disruption to Arran ferry", "CalMac ferry breakdown and five Storm Corrie service suspensions cause disruption", "Ferry out of action for at least three weeks after crash breaks engine", "CalMac sorry for disruption with broken ferries sidelined", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MV_Caledonian_Isles&oldid=1141798879, Main: 2 x Mirrlees Blackstone MB275/8T 2,200kW (2,900hp) each, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 21:35. In 1976 Western Ferries' fast catamaran, Highland Seabird, had to abandon up-river services to Glasgow from Clyde resorts; even on gentle Clyde, floating timber was a menace. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . She is used extensively by day-trippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer. A key section of its bid was mostly cut-and-pasted from this longer document. 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. Western Ferries competes directly on the Clyde's Gourock-Dunoon service; a private operator runs an alternative Skye ferry, and other car ferries at Jura, Luing, and Corran are run by local authorities. . 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. It added that some staff employed at the time had now left. 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. The original four Loch class vessels were based on MVIsle of Cumbrae. Comments have been closed on this article. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's The two ferries are still being built for CalMac, but will be at least 150m over budget and five years late. The Scottish Government's investment plan is hoping to bring the average age of the fleet to 15 years. The problem with CalMac's ageing ferries - BBC News "CalMac need to sort this out because soon enough it will force people to want to leave the islands which is not what the islands are wanting.". This peak summer service originally operated between June and August however, due to demand, operates from May to September since 2013. Ignoring all counsel from those who knew the Pentland Firth, Orkney Islands Council financed a short crossing from Gillis Bay, Caithness, to South Ronaldsay. What's gone wrong with CalMac's new ferries? - BBC News Ferguson Marine ferries for CalMac delayed by another eight months to We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. and the actions you performed just before this error. Outer Hebrides Tourism, the industry-led group expressed was "dismayed and angry" that there is no end to the ferry crisis causing "extremely serious issue for both tourism and our wider community". This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. A Gannett Company. 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. The fantasy of El Cheapo Highland shipping operations was blown, surely, by the debacle of Orkney Ferries in 1989. A band of rain, sleet and snow is expected to move south during Monday followed by frequent snow and hail showers, Ken Bruce leaves BBC with veiled jibe after they ended his show early over concerns was free advertising for a rival, The 72-year-old Glaswegian left Radio to join Greatest Hits Radio in April after the Beeb told him to step down 17 days early, Teaching strikes held off as union on brink of striking pay deal. The latest ferry route lockdown has sparked serious concerns about islands getting the essentials - with some islands, particularly South Uist reliant on a daily lorry crossing to supply shops. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. The deal to build two new CalMac ferries for Arran and the Hebrides has run into serious trouble. During the winter season, Caledonian Isles goes for her annual overhaul, and is commonly relieved by MVIsle of Arran, MVClansman or MVHebrides. The BBC documentary, however, uncovered evidence of a number of irregularities: The Port Glasgow shipyard fell into administration in August 2014, but was bought a week before the independence referendum by Jim McColl, a businessman who sat on First Minister Alex Salmond's council of economic advisers. In an accompanying feature he pours on the spite. Remarkably, neither the Scotsman's esteemed Highlands & Islands correspondent, John Ross, nor their transport correspondent, Alastair Dalton, appears to have contributed to the article. CalMac warns of further disruption to ferry service due to lack of backup ferries, Scottish lags misuse 4.1million taxpayer-funded mobile phones more than 7,000 times in three years, More than 4,082 inmates have been caught out for using mobile phones paid for by the taxpayers to commit crimes while in prison, Iconic Glasgow bakery Mortons Rolls 'ceases all trading' after 58 years. [10] MVSaturn last served Dunoon on 29 June 2011, and was then scheduled to operate the summer relief on the Arran crossing. [5], Due to the demand for capacity, a second ferry has supplemented Caledonian Isles during the summer season since 2005. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please That came after there was an outcry when MV Hebridean Isles was sent from its normal Islay route to assist when the safety issues surfaced for a second time the previous week. I have a baby who is now on cows milk but Im only able to do my shopping once a week due to having three kids on my own while my partner works. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 2023 BBC. 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. MVCoruisk is a 65m (213ft) "sheltered water vessel", operating on the Mallaig to Armadale route in summer, and relieving on the Clyde in winter. We need to do something different, because the government isn't interested in helping us. ''It is a state-owned transport company that does not make a profit on any of its routes.'' Jim McColl said "with hindsight" having the CalMac document put Ferguson in a strong position. John Kerr, a former CalMac technical director who was asked to review some of the leaked documents, was surprised Ferguson was then allowed to submit a revised, far lighter design after the tender deadline, describing it as effectively "a new bid". Of the 10 largest ferries, four are more than 30 years old and the MV Isle of Arran is 39. 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. has a calmac ferry ever sunk. Scarcely a major ship in the network sails without a Harrisman; island sea skills draw on generations of experience. She was built in 2015 as Utne and operated for Norled for 6 years. [7], The former Clyde ferries, MVJupiter, MVJuno and MVSaturn had provided the Dunoon and Rothesay services for the best part of 35 years. 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. But two days later, CalMac decided to reshuffle its pack by moving MV Isle of Mull from the Oban to Craignure on Mull route - one of the busiest - leaving Mull served by the much smaller MV Coruisk. SHOPS across some Scots islands have been forced to ration essential items amid widespread ferry cancellations due to a broken down vessel, the Herald on Sunday can reveal.
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