CalMac have announced that there will be a delay to the return to service of MV Hebrides, and that the current temporary deployment plan will remain in place for “slightly longer” than planned.
The knock-on effect means South Uist services continue to be provided by MV Isle
of Mull until mid-May at least with her heavily reduced limit of up to 45 passengers
due to a condemned evacuation system. Mallaig sailings remain suspended.
MV Hebrides, which operates on the Skye triangle run, is currently undergoing scheduled annual maintenance at the Cammel Laird yard in Birkenhead by Liverpool.
Last week, CalMac revealed the need for bow visor, stern ramp and deck repairs.
But today it emerged an extra six days of work is required. The vessel will not return until Tuesday 22 April. Her original date of return was 6 April which was put off to 16 April and is now (at current estimates) extended by a week.
The outcome means MV Lord of the Isles (Loti) - which should have provided a brief
respite for a week on the South Uist run later in April - will not pick up the Uist
service as planned.
The Loti will stay on the Coll, Tiree and Colonsay services whilst MV Clansman covers MV Hebrides for Tarbert and Lochmaddy.
MV Isle of Mull will remain at Lochboisdale operating a direct service between South Uist and Oban.
Additional Sound of Barra sailings, which connect with the Castlebay ferry for the
Oban-Barra service, are presently in place until Tuesday 15 April. Disrupted travellers
can also travel via the Uig-Lochmaddy service said CalMac.
With MV Finlaggan departing for overhaul on Tuesday 22 April, there will now be no time for MV Lord of the Isles to provide any services to South Uist and she will immediately head to Islay advises CalMac.
When MV Finlaggan returns to service on Wednesday 14 May, MV Lord of the Isles will
resume a Mallaig-Lochboisdale service.
Elsewhere on the network, the intermediate shafts on MV Caledonian Isles require additional machining and the vessel’s return to the main Arran route has been revised to the end of May. Her ongoing absence also has an impact on CalMac’s deployment options.
Duncan Mackison, CEO of CalMac, said: “Everyone at CalMac is acutely aware of the disruption that unplanned works in overhaul can have on services, particularly on South Uist. The current situation is compounded by not only the absence of MV Hebrides and MV Caledonian Isles, but the delays to the arrival of MV Isle of Islay.
“The geopolitical events which have caused delays with her build are beyond anyone’s control, but her absence is keenly felt. If she were here, we’d have an additional major vessel in the fleet serving Islay and more flexibility in deployment. Instead, we now must use MV Lord of the Isles and MV Isle of Arran to cover Islay’s service during MV Finlaggan’s upcoming overhaul.
“I apologise for any disruption people experience in the coming weeks and thank communities and customers for their understanding and patience during this latest period of disruption. We will continue to provide the best service possible to our customers using the vessels we have available.”
South Uist ferry misery continues without respite until mid-
3 April 2025
