Calmac in crisis

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

https://www.westcoasttoday.co.uk/news/calmac-admit-current-ferry-situation-the-most-pressing-weve-faced Behind a paywall, I think, but here are some of the highlights:

CalMac admit current ferry situation "the most pressing we’ve faced"
CalMac has contacted islanders to update them on the current ferry shortage, admitting that today’s breakdowns leave them in one of their toughest ever spots. On the morning of March 26, further breakdowns occurred on the Arran route, leaving it without a major vessel. This left CalMac short of seven vessels, with four in refit and three breakdowns to the MV Glen Sannox, MV Isle of Arran and MV Caledonian Isles. The situation is so dire that CalMac admitted in an email to island communities: "The scenario we are in right now may be the most pressing we’ve faced."

As well as Arran having no major vessel, Mull is down to a single vessel service from MV Coruisk, Islay also has one vessel, MV Finlaggan, Barra and South Uist have a reduced service as they are sharing the MV Isle of Mull and Coll, Tiree & Colonsay have a reduced service due to a smaller vessel than normal providing their service, the MV Lord of the Isles instead of MV Clansman.

The newly arrived MV Isle of Islay is hoped to be drafted into the fleet soon to help alleviate some of the pressure on the ferry provider, but CalMac also admitted in its email that issues have been identified in its sea trials, and will more than likely not make it into service for the start of the Summer Timetable tomorrow. ...

Over the next year, four more major vessels are due to join the ageing fleet, MV Glen Rosa (delayed eight years, expected late 2026), MV Loch Indaal (one year delay, expected this summer), MV Lochmor (one year delay, expected this winter) and MV Claymore (one year delay, expected early 2027).

Can't say I'm surprised to read this. Just back from a visit to my Mum on Arran. Every single conversation I had with Arran residents included a lengthy rant about the ferry service. I was very lucky this time and both the ferries I was booked on actually ran, albeit very late on one occasion, but I don't count on that now, and neither does anyone else. Members of my family have lived on or regularly visited the island going back many generations and until very recent years the ferry service was excellent and nobody worried about it. Now people are moving away purely because it's so uncertain whether you can get to the mainland or back again when you need to. People routinely arrange accommodation on the mainland around having hospital and dental appointments or going on holiday. People used to commute to or from the mainland for their work and that's become unworkable too.

How on earth has the Scottish government mismanaged this so badly? I'll be interested to see just how low the SNP vote falls on Arran and the other ferry-dependent islands come the elections.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjw8lp6z6vvo

I am not up to speed on all the details, but I really don't have the impression Calmac is to blame for the extraordinary problems in commissioning new ferries and bringing them into service. There's been political interference at every turn, which certainly hasn't helped.

Me neither @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g. Would love to hear from someone with inside info from the Calmac side.

Calmac can only spend as much money as the government gives them. The problem is that for probably 20 years the budget for investment in new ferries has been slashed so they have tried to keep the very old ones running. There comes a point where that is impossible.

It’s only something I’ve been aware of recently. Do we think it’s possible tactical underspending and trying to get people to move to the mainland to save on costs?

I know a lot of the islands are big for tourism income in the summer months - is there much industry on the isles?

Im going to go away and google more about it now just was wondering.

I can only speak for the one I know. There are several substantial businesses on the island - two distilleries, a brewery, a company making food and beauty products, smaller businesses making artisan cheese, chocolate, candles, gin, ice cream, probably other things too. Further north there are of course a lot of distilleries. God knows what this is doing to their businesses.

Terrible things. My friend works at one of those.

I think it's more likely to be gross incompetence and a lack of thought and care about island life than a deliberate attempt at 21st century Clearances, tbh. But you never know.

A friend of mine, shortly after voting Yes in the referendum, asked me why Inverness was there, anyway. So out of the way, up north...

Just as a quick point - CalMac run the ferries issued to them - they don’t commission new ferries. That’s CMal. The Scottish Gov are responsible for both though, so absolutely to blame. 😁

This year has been a perfect storm so far though (sometimes literally!) for the ferries. Up North some islands have been unable to start their tourism season at all, supermarket shelves are lying bare, medical appointments have been cancelled. I was booked to visit family this holiday and have had to cancel, and know loads of people in the same situation. I’ve never seen a year like this. It’s hard to imagine things will have improved measurably by the summer.

Agreed. It’s Scottish government run CMAL who commissioned the ferries, not calmac. I bloody LOVE the calmac staff. They’re always cheery, helpful, capable etc etc, despite working in such a never ending shitshow of a calamity.

it'll be interesting to see how the island communities vote in May.

I've just had an extended visit to Lewis and Harris due to ferry problems. It was only 3 days/2 nights for us but still a strange feeling to be stranded so can't imagine what it must be like for islanders regularly experiencing it, seeing supermarket shelves emptying and their own plans routinely upended.

I have a colleague who is originally from Harris. His parents and sibling spent last week in their house on Harris. They were due to return at the weekend but weather and mechanical issues meant that one parent and the sibling had to leave as foot passengers and the other parent is stuck on Harris until Saturday with the car.

A man I was talking to had also been visiting his parents at their family home on Lewis, but had to leave his car and dog behind to get his teen son back to the mainland as foot passengers.

My colleague has a dog and despite taking last week as annual leave wasn't willing to risk a trip home.