CalMac to Trial Isle of Man Ferry on Arran Route for Potential Charter

Scotland’s west coast ferry operator, CalMac, is set to conduct trials of a substantial ferry from the Isle of Man on its Arran service, with the intention of potentially chartering the vessel. The MV Ben-My-Chree, owned by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, currently functions as a back-up ship following the introduction of the new vessel Manxman into service last year. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Scotland later this week for berthing trials at Troon on the mainland and Brodick on Arran. CalMac indicated it was developing contingency plans as it anticipates a challenging winter, with some vessels out of commission and others undergoing scheduled maintenance. CalMac interim chief executive Duncan Mackison stated: “We are being proactive in identifying options to add resilience and capacity to the network during what will continue to be a challenging winter.” He added: “This vessel is larger than those currently serving Arran and would add capacity to that service whilst freeing up a vessel to move elsewhere.” Mackison further commented: “This is just a trial, and a full charter will be subject to agreement from multiple parties. Should this be reached, we will review and publish a plan on wider vessel deployment.” The Ben-My-Chree – which translates to “girl of my heart” in the Manx language – measures 125m (410ft) in length and is wider than the CalMac vessels typically operating the Arran route. Since its launch in 1998, it has primarily served the Heysham-Douglas route, but was replaced by MV Manxman late last year. A service agreement stipulates that it must remain available as a back-up vessel for Isle of Man services at specific times of the year. CalMac is preparing for a difficult winter season and is exploring options to sustain its services. The primary Arran ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, has been out of operation since February, and repairs to a new gearbox fault are expected to take at least another fortnight. The MV Hebridean Isles is slated for retirement next month as it requires recertification, and its continued maintenance is no longer economically viable. The dual-fuel vessel Glen Sannox, under construction at the Ferguson shipyard, was due for handover two weeks ago, but a revised delivery date has not yet been confirmed. CalMac will then need to conduct crew familiarisation trials, and the new ship is booked for two weeks of annual maintenance inspections in December, making it improbable for Glen Sannox to enter service before January. Other large vessels in the CalMac fleet will also need to be withdrawn for scheduled annual maintenance during the winter. CalMac is already chartering one vessel, the catamaran Alfred, to maintain services to Arran, at an estimated cost of £1m per month. The state-owned ferry operator has received only one new large vessel, the Loch Seaforth, in the past decade, and many of its 10 largest ships have now surpassed their expected service life.