Minister warns islanders of challenging winter due to ferry service disruptions

Scotland’s transport minister, Fiona Hyslop, has issued a warning that island residents face a “challenging and difficult” winter, primarily due to anticipated interruptions in ferry services. Hyslop stated that Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is experiencing significant strain due to an insufficient number of operational vessels. She affirmed that she is urging the ferry operator to explore “all options” to sustain essential lifeline services. This statement came in response to an urgent inquiry from one of her own backbench Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), following revelations that the primary Arran ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, might be unavailable throughout the entire winter season. Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene criticized the Scottish National Party (SNP) for exhibiting a “brass neck” by attributing issues to CalMac that, he argued, stemmed from years of governmental underinvestment. Addressing MSPs, Hyslop described the most recent postponement in the return of the Caledonian Isles, which has been non-operational since January, as “deeply frustrating and concerning.” She confirmed that “Ministers and officials continue to push CalMac to ensure all options to expedite repairs are being considered.” Hyslop further explained that CalMac is currently assessing the implications for vessel redeployment across its entire west coast ferry network. She mentioned that three potential solutions had been presented to island communities in advance of route alterations scheduled for announcement next week. However, she emphasized that CalMac must weigh the significance of the heavily used Arran route against the necessity of upholding lifeline services in other areas. “That’s the difficult balancing act in what is going to be a challenging and difficult winter,” she remarked, adding, “We thought that last winter would be the period that would have caused most issue, and we should have seen at least the Glen Sannox vessel in by now.” Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene reiterated his accusation that the SNP displayed a “brass neck,” asserting that the government, not CalMac, bore ultimate responsibility for the ongoing issues. He stated, “Let me tell you where the failures lie in this entire ferry scandal – it’s right there on the SNP front benches.” Greene continued, “That is the reason – the lack of investment, the lack of progress in new vessels. I haven’t heard a single solution from the minister today on what CalMac is going to do to address this situation.” He concluded his remarks by claiming, “They are completely out of vessels and they are completely out of options.” In response, Hyslop countered that Greene’s assertion was incorrect, affirming that CalMac retained viable options for service maintenance. The ferry operator serving Scotland’s west coast is contending with a confluence of challenges as it endeavors to devise a winter timetable, lacking two of the 10 primary vessels typically in its fleet. The MV Caledonian Isles has been non-operational since January, when significant corrosion was identified during its annual maintenance, necessitating the removal of all its engines for repairs. The 31-year-old vessel returned from the Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside last month; however, a new gearbox malfunction was detected prior to its re-entry into passenger service, requiring several additional weeks for repair. On Tuesday, CalMac disclosed further issues that could render the ship unavailable until late March. Additionally, another substantial ferry, the Hebridean Isles, is slated for retirement later this month, as its mandatory five-year survey is no longer deemed economically viable. The Glen Sannox, the Arran ferry whose delivery has been significantly delayed and which is under construction at the Ferguson shipyard, has now exceeded its most recent delivery deadline by three weeks. Upon its eventual delivery, CalMac will require six-and-a-half weeks for crew familiarisation trials, followed by an already scheduled annual overhaul in December, before the vessel can become operational. Furthermore, several other ships are scheduled for withdrawal from service in the coming months for their routine winter maintenance. The introduction of the first of four new large ferries, currently under construction in Turkey, has also been postponed until March of next year. A proposal to charter an additional large vessel, the MV Ben-My-Chree, from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, failed last week after it was determined that the ship could not safely berth at Brodick harbour on Arran during adverse weather conditions. Presently, CalMac is sustaining ferry services to Arran by employing the Ferguson-built MV Isle of Arran, affectionately known as the “Auld Trooper” due to its 40-year age, and the catamaran MV Alfred, which is chartered at a monthly expense of £1m. Historically, the government-owned CalMac would incorporate a new large vessel into its fleet every two to three years. However, since 2007, the responsibility for ferry procurement has shifted to a separate state-owned entity, CMAL. In the period since this change, only two large vessels have been delivered: MV Finlaggan in 2011 and MV Loch Seaforth in 2015. The dual-fuel LNG vessel Glen Sannox and its sister ship Glen Rosa were originally slated for delivery in 2018. Nevertheless, design complexities and a contentious disagreement between CMAL and the previous owners of the Ferguson shipyard regarding costs led to the firm’s insolvency and subsequent nationalization. A significant portion of the current CalMac fleet has now surpassed its anticipated operational lifespan. Fiona Hyslop highlighted that six new large vessels are currently under construction, including the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, both designated for the Arran route. Furthermore, CMAL has initiated the procurement process for replacing seven smaller ferries, with the contract anticipated to be awarded by next March.