Widespread Ferry Disruptions on West Coast Islands
West coast ferry operator CalMac has announced that "almost every island served by a major vessel" is experiencing service disruptions due to an "unprecedented" shortage of ships. The shortage is attributed to ongoing faults and maintenance affecting several key vessels.
Currently, three large ferries, including the two newest ships MV Glen Sannox and MV Isle of Islay, remain out of service while faults are being investigated. Additionally, four other vessels are undergoing their annual maintenance schedules.
Some relief has been provided to Arran following the repair and return to service of a fourth major vessel, MV Caledonian Isles, which has resumed operations from Ardrossan.
The state-owned company has established an incident management team that will be available throughout the weekend to oversee service management and coordinate repairs.
CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison commented on the situation, emphasizing the scale of the challenges faced.
"This disruption is affecting virtually every island served by a major vessel and we are profoundly sorry for that," Mackison said. "We are doing what we can to restore these services as quickly as possible."
"Despite repairs to Caledonian Isles and a smaller vessel, MV Coruisk, the operator was still dealing with an 'unprecedented level of challenges on our network.'"
Details of Vessel Issues
MV Glen Sannox, which operates the route to Arran from Troon, developed a fault with a flexible coupling in its exhaust system early on Thursday. A temporary repair allowed the ferry to complete one sailing; however, the problem recurred, leading to its withdrawal from service until Tuesday for a permanent repair and thorough checks to ensure availability for the Easter weekend.
Separately, a recurring engine warning light issue, which appeared shortly after the vessel returned from annual maintenance in Merseyside, is believed to have been resolved. CalMac suspects the problem was caused by incorrect oil levels and an electrical fault, both of which have now been addressed.
MV Isle of Islay, the first of four new ferries constructed in Turkey, was scheduled to enter service on the Islay route on Friday. However, this has been delayed until at least Monday. A specialist engineer has been engaged to investigate an engine management system fault, and other "snagging issues" are also under review.
The 42-year-old MV Isle of Arran, affectionately known as the Auld Trooper, is currently out of service due to a problem with its fire suppression system. Additional faults have been identified with a coupling and a bow thruster, and the vessel is expected to remain unavailable until early next week.
Four other vessels—MV Hebrides, MV Loch Frisa, MV Isle of Lewis, and the chartered catamaran MV Alfred—are all currently away for scheduled maintenance or repairs.
Chief Executive Mackison stated that a decision regarding whether MV Isle of Islay will be ready to carry passengers for the first time on the following day will be made on Sunday.
"We're making progress with MV Isle of Islay's outstanding snagging issues, and we're taking MV Glen Sannox off service until Tuesday to try and permanently resolve the exhaust issue," he said.
"Our aim is to get services back to planned levels ahead of and during the upcoming Easter weekend and holidays, and we'll continue to keep island communities informed of our efforts to do so."
