A senior engineer from Cal Mac is presently overseas checking out a potential new ship to buy for the Clyde and Hebrides network.
Also inspecting the ship are fleet engineers from Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), the government agency which owns the west coast ferries.
Apart for indicating it would act as a relief vessel to cover breakdowns, Transport Minister, Graeme Dey, gave no further details when he revealed the contender for the Cal Mac fleet in the Scottish Parliament.
CMAL has recently been very interested in a ferry in northern Europe Hebrides News understands. Though she seemed promising it is unclear if this is the ship Mr Dey referred to.
In any case, around 140 possible vessels -
This includes the MV Pentalina which was withdrawn from charter by its owner.
Transport Minister, Graeme Dey, said that “senior representatives of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd and Cal Mac Ferries are out of the country, actively assessing a vessel, with a view to purchase.
“If we get that over the line, it will have a positive cascade effect across the network and, in addition, will create the potential for us to head into the next summer season with a back-
He said work constantly goes on in attempts to secure extra ships for Cal Mac.
Mr Dey added: “The Scottish Government has invested in excess of £2.2 billion in the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, Northern Isles ferry services and ferry infrastructure since 2007.
“We have also delivered a number of new routes. However, I do not hide from the fact that we need to do more.
“That is why we have a £580 million funding stream to deliver new ferries and harbour infrastructure, which we are in the process of delivering.”
MSP Rhoda Grant cautiously welcomed the possibility of a new vessel.
She said: “While I desperately hope that this will work out for the sake of the communities, I am painfully aware of the awkward specification issues facing CalMac as a result of CMAL’s scattergun approach to vessel and pier commissioning. I will celebrate when the vessel is docked in Scotland and not before.
“Even if this vessel is secured and the SNP once again manages to patch over its atrocious lack of strategic management, we have to be cautious and keep up the pressure so that we do reach another crisis stage as we have done this year.
“Passenger numbers on the ferry network are hitting record highs year and year, and this is to be welcomed – our communities should be promoted and enjoyed – but the infrastructure and the investment needs to be there to support it.
“The ferry fleet programme is years behind where it should be to provide a reliable and robust service. One or two boats are not going to address the crux of the matter – we need a properly thought out and developed strategy and purchase programme.”
Cal Mac inspects ship to buy for fleet
10 September 2021
