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CalMac- Network Wide Problems due to ship shortages

Posted by (Lake District, England) on

CalMac currently have 8 vessels off service across the network, causing heavy service constraints.

As of 1pm on Saturday 28 March this is the position (poor weather across Scotland is causing added difficulties)-

MV Alfred (Troon to Brodick)- on overhaul, due back in service 6 April
MV Loch Frisa (Oban to Craignure, Mull)- on overhaul, due back in service 9 April
MV Hebrides (Uig, Skye to Tarbert, Harris and Lochmaddy, North Uist)- due back in service 15 April
MV Isle of Lewis (Oban to Castlebay and Lochboisdale)- estimated due back in service end of May
MV Isle of Arran (Oban to Craignure)- damaged couplings on bow thrusters, currently limping to Troon for a berth and investigations, due date back on service unknown
MV Glen Sannox (Troon to Brodick)- intermittent exhaust bellows issues, she keeps going on and off service
MV Lord of the Isles (Oban to Coll, Tiree, Colonsay)- Misalignment of starboard main engine, currently blocking 1 of the 2 berths at Oban, awaiting transfer to the Northern Lights berth at Oban when weather allows.
The brand new Isle of Islay- intermittent Power Management Systems- due date on service of 30 March under review.

Effects on service-
Uig to Lochmaddy & Tarbert- services being covered by the MV Clansman on a revised timetable which is prioritising Lochmaddy.
Passengers for the Isle of Harris are asked to sail from Ullapool to Stornoway or use Lochmaddy and then the Berneray to Leverburgh route (but that has limited capacity). Priority is being given to freight, islanders and Lochboisdale diverted traffic.
Oban to Castlebay and Lochboisdale- Revised timetable, priority being given to Castlebay, Due to crew working hours extra sailings can't be provided on the Eriskay to Barra route. Existing Lochboisdale bookings are either diverted via Lochmaddy/Uig (claims can be filed for excess mileage) or are being provided with hotel rooms at Castlebay. Sailings are being provided by the MV Isle of Mull- she has weather constraints on this route, so is very prone to cancellation. Again the priority traffic is freight and islander lifeline needs.
Oban to Craignure- currently single vessel with the small ship MV Coruisk, displaced traffic will need to use the turn up and go Lochaline to Fishnish and Kilchoan to Tobermory routes which may not have enough capacity. It may be possible to file a claim for excess mileage if bounced from the Craignure route
Oban to Coll, Tiree and Colonsay- all services cancelled, service options under review
Kennacraig to Islay- single vessel service in the short term, freight and islander traffic has priority.
Mallaig to Armadale (Skye)- no service until 8 April, then single vessel until 13 May provided by the relief vessel MV Loch Bhrusda- she has very limited vehicle capacity.

Services to Arran-
Very fluid, currently single vessel service on the Caledonian Isles from Ardrossan, but changing on a daily basis. Ardrossan has long standing weather constraints, so sailings are heavily weather dependent, and may divert to Troon with little notice.
Priority is with freight and islander needs.
On the Lochranza to Claonaig turn up and go route extra sailings can't be provided due to crew working hours, the vessel (MV Catriona) has forward ramp issues, so traffic has to reverse off leading to extended turn round times, in heavy weather Claonaig is untenable, so diversions (with extended passage times) to Tarbert (Loch Fyne) may occur at short notice.

Posted by
4721 posts

NorthLink to the Orkneys and Shetlands is also getting hit with frequent weather cancelations. I am a little concerned about my plans in the Orkneys for later April. I planned the ferry from Aberdeen to Kirkwall. I haven't made a Plan B or C yet. Not sure whether it means the shorter ferries from Scrabster would also be affected or not, but being aware of ferry vulnerabilities seem to need to be considered for all island travelers this year.

Posted by
11484 posts

On Northlink it depends on the exact weather pattern and how the seas are running, as to which route (s) can run.

Sometimes they can't physically get out of Aberdeen due to the harbour bar, sometimes they can't get into Kirkwall due to the narrow channel past Shapinsay (so overshoot to Lerwick), sometimes they have to turn short at Kirkwall if the seas are too bad north of Orkney.

For Plan B I would be booking the 0923 Ember Bus from Aberdeen to Scrabster Pier, 90 minute change at Inverness- booking it in two parts- Aberdeen to Inverness for £9.35, Inverness to Scrabster for £2 for the 3 hour ride (thanks to the Highlands fare cap), on the basis that I can cancel for a full refund (and should) until the moment of bus departure.
Sometimes the flights can't get in either, sometimes the flight runs but the ship not, or vv, or both are affected.

Today the Church of Scotland in Lerwick have had to cancel their Palm Sunday walk due to the high winds- I was notified by the Presbytery on Friday.

Posted by
11484 posts

Update from CalMac at 1530 this afternoon on meeting incidental expenses for those already booked on affected routes-

We are actively supporting customers in need of accommodation or alternative travel plans. Our partner CMAC can handle all the arrangements for customers affected by the disruption and without local arrangements in place. CMAC can arrange rooms, meals or onward travel from any of our ports - for any customers in this situation please ask them to speak to a member of staff at the port they are in and they will contact CMAC. CMAC will then support the customer directly and costs are covered by CalMac. We are also supporting all other customers with unexpected costs incurred due to the current disruption or onward travel. Please contact the email below and our team will be in touch about passenger rights and reimbursement. [email protected]

[this is a relaxation of normal passenger rights due to the severity of the current situation]

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