For those of you interested in the ferries and their stories, then this article may interest you about MV Hebridean Isles which was Scotland’s oldest lifeline ferry and finished its last service run yesterday. Next stop is the breaker's yard. There are some great stories there.
It doesn’t make any comment about who will replace Hebridean Isles - perhaps isn31c can fill us in on this?
What was sad about her ending was that her last weeks of service were as a freight ferry between Stornoway to Ullapool so her last passenger sailing was almost without notice, on the Arran run.
The Stornoway route vessel, the Loch Seaforth, is back on service today after refit, having been delayed in Liverpool on Friday by fog.
To me it looks as if the direct replacements will be the two new Islay boats ( the Isle of Islay and the Loch Inndal) being built in Turkey, and in next Spring to Summer 2025.
Those in turn will release the existing vessels from Islay to provide much needed relief fleet capacity.
They will be followed by the two sister vessels for the Uig triangle in 2026 which will divide the triangle into two routes.
The warehouse is south of the Western Ferries McInroys Point Terminal at Gourock on a small industrial estate.
wasleys, that's a nice article and sad that the ferry has been retired. Those stories were so lovely, and I loved reading the poem the crew wrote, lol!
What do they do with the retired ferries? Hopefully, give them a pension and let them enjoy their last days in a Home for Aged Ferries. :-)
Mardee,
Historically many Cal Mac ferries went on to 2nd lives in other countries, notably Greece but other places too around the world (and some went on to other Scottish or Irish operators). The same applies to many cross channel ferries (England to Europe) which go on to operators across the Med.
Off hand I can't remember which it was, but one was converted to a luxury cruise ship which became the late Queen's Royal Yacht (under charter) in Scotland after the HMY Britannia was retired.
Auchterless will remember The Pioneer. She ended up in Sao Tome and Principe (West Africa) 20 years after retiring from CalMac.
From the Isle of Man there is a long history of their retired ferries ending up in the Azores for some reason.
In this case the breakers yard was the only option. She had to be retired now as she has essentially lost her SOLAS certification under new rules. For a ship of her age and design the adaptations required to gain a new certificate would simply cost too much. It doesn't mean she wasn't safe just that she didn't meet new more stringent requirements.
The same as the brand new ferry for the Isle of Man (the Manxman) apparently can't sail to Dublin (a Steam Packet seasonal port) because she doesn't meet EU requirements regarding her rescue apparatus. This isn't SOLAS seemingly, but supplementary EU rules.
Another new ship has been announced this week- designs have been released for the new Mallaig to Lochboisdale (South Uist) ferry, to replace the Lord of the Isles, along with a new terminal for Lochboisdale.
They are going out to public consultation in early December.
As with many of their routes this is a bespoke design, in this case to cope with the severe constraints of Mallaig Harbour, yet be able to be deployed across the network.
There are also tenders out currently for 8 new small ferries (all electric ferries) as the small ships of CalMac are now seriously ageing.
I've sailed with the Heb Isles several times over the years - the last time being Port Ellen to Kennacraig in July. It's always sad to see these grand old ladies being retired, but based on my experience that last two times I sailed aboard her, it was time.
I'm looking forward to sailing on one of the new ferries (if they're seaworthy!) on my next holiday.
Mike (Auchterless)
