Latest news with #CaledonianIsles
STV News
07-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
CalMac seeks to recover costs for Caledonian Isles repairs
Scotland's publicly-owned ferry operator is seeking to recover the cost of repairs to a key vessel which has been out of action for 18 months. The Caledonian Isles was taken out of service in January of last year for substantial work which was estimated to cost £5m, with its return to the route between Ardrossan, North Ayrshire and Brodick on the Isle of Arran expected last June. But its return has been considerably delayed, with CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison saying last month it is 'impossible to say' when it will return. A hull deformity was discovered after repairs were done by Cammell Laird in Birkenhead near Liverpool, which has had a knock-on effect which has prompted CalMac to begin proceedings to recover at least some of the money spent. In a statement, a spokesman for the operator said: 'Following an investigation into the cause of the hull deformity, action is under way to recover costs. 'As this is commercially sensitive and subject to legal proceedings, we cannot comment further.' PA Media The ferry has been out of service since last year (Jeff J Mitchell/PA) The long-running saga of the Caledonian Isles is yet another issue which has hit transport to Scotland's west coast islands in recent years, along with the major delays and cost overruns to two ferries being built at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow. The Glen Sannox entered service in January, while the Glen Rosa is not expected until next year, with projected costs rising from £97m when the contract was signed to more than £400m. The loss of the Caledonian Isles has also meant there have been no sailings from Ardrossan in months. While the MV Isle of Arran has been re-shuffled to take over the route from Monday for the next two weeks, both the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa are too big for the port in the North Ayrshire town and as such have been sailing from Troon, further down the coast. Locals fear the impact of losing the ferry service on the local economy, while islanders on Arran have also expressed concerns. The Scottish Government has said it is looking at buying the port from operator Peel Ports to make necessary upgrades to allow the ferries to dock there, but talks are said to have stalled. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
26-06-2025
- Scotsman
CalMac warns of 'multiple islands' disruption if Caledonian Isles ferry repairs prolonged
Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... New uncertainty faces islanders after CalMac revealed widespread disruption to its west coast network if fault-plagued ferry Caledonian Isles is further delayed returning to service on a key route. The Scottish Government-owned operator said it would have to shuffle other vessels between routes to cover the gap caused by Caledonian Isles' absence from Arran sailings. which would involve 'some level of disruption on multiple islands'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Caledonian Isles in Ardrossan harbour during sea trials on June 19 | John Devlin/The Scotsman The ship was due back in service on Wednesday. But that return date was cancelled last week when CalMac said remaining repairs might take 'significantly longer' than a few days. The company said it would confirm its plans early next week, but even if the ferry does return, there will be changes to some services. This is because Alfred, a chartered catamaran also serving Arran, will be off for two weeks from Monday, July 7 for 'essential maintenance'. The 1,000-passenger Caledonian Isles has been out of service for an unprecedented 17 months with a series of major problems, latterly to its gearbox. The 32-year-old vessel, which normally operates between Ardrossan and Brodick, is undergoing further sea trials to see whether it needs to return to dry dock for further repairs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad CalMac said if the ferry was not fixed by July 7, its Isle of Arran ferry would be switched from the Islay route to cover Ardrossan-Brodick, enabling that service to resume for the first time since January. New CalMac ferry Glen Sannox would continue to serve the longer Troon-Brodick route alone in the absence of Alfred. Lord of the Isles, which normally operates between Mallaig and Lochboisdale in South Uist, would be switched to the Islay route to join the service's main vessel, Finlaggan. That would trigger perhaps the most significant change, involving Mull's main ferry, Isle of Mull, being moved to the Lochboisdale route and replaced on Mull's main route between Oban and Craignure by the smaller Coruisk, which normally serves the Mallaig-Armadale route in Skye. A CalMac spokesperson said on Thursday: 'Caledonian Isles is doing trials today and will be for the next few days. Progress has been made recently, with the issue in the propeller hub resolved. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are still dealing with an issue with the offset in pitch response and engine loads for the port and starboard engines. 'Arrangements have been made for dry dock, should it still be required, following these trials. Whether she needs to dry dock will depend on how the trials go.
Scotsman
19-06-2025
- Scotsman
New setback for CalMac ferry as repairs could take 'significantly longer'
Return to service date next week scrapped Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... New doubts have emerged over when one of CalMac's largest ferries will return to service after nearly 18 months of repairs with the operator warning it could be 'significantly' longer than a few days. The 1,000-passenger Caledonian Isles was due to carry passengers again next Wednesday for the first time since January last year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Caledonian Isles undergoing sea trials in the Clyde on Tuesday | John Devlin/The Scotsman However, that date was scrapped on Thursday because CalMac said the vessel would need to return to dry dock for further work following sea trials this week. It means further uncertainty for Arran islanders anxiously awaiting the resumption of sailings on their principal route between Ardrossan and Brodick, which have been suspended since January. Services have been switched to the longer crossing from Troon, which does not have a rail station at the port. This is because CalMac's new ferry Glen Sannox and chartered catamaran Alfred cannot use Ardrossan harbour. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad John Devlin/The Scotsman CalMac said Caledonian Isles' return to dry dock was the next stage of efforts to resolve a pressure issue with the vessel's propulsion system'. Previous repairs had included to its gearbox and to replace thinning steel in its hull, along with to steelwork being bent out of shape, whose cause is still being investigated. CalMac said it was 'finalising details for docking and unable to confirm a provisional return to service date until the inspection takes place'. Chief executive Duncan Mackison said: 'Everyone at CalMac is disappointed that Caledonian Isles isn't ready to carry passengers yet, and I know that disappointment will be shared by communities across our network and by those who travel to and from Arran regularly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Once the vessel is in dry dock, the inspection will take a few days. Until then, it is impossible to say how long any repair might take. 'But there is a range of possible scenarios going from the issue being resolved in a few days to it taking significantly longer.
