Winter schedules for some island communities face a fresh round of disruption after it emerged the beleaguered MV Caledonian Isles will remain out of service for yet another spell of crucial repairs.
Absence of the major ship from CalMac’s fleet - potentially to the start of the ferry
summer season - will cause ramifications for some timetables as the shipping operator
reshuffles timetables amid a dire shortage of vessels.
Passengers and businesses relying on the South Uist service will be braced for another wave of unwelcome news with uncertainty cast upon their travel plans.
Barra also risks being impacted while Islay, Arran, and Mull may also be affected at some point.
Bearings in the Caledonian Isles two propeller shaft stern tubes need to be repaired or replaced.
In addition, eight frames in the ship’s structure have mysteriously ended up distorted and must be replaced with new sections to ensure her structural safety.
Considerable amounts of critical work has been uncovered on MV Caledonian Isles whilst the vessel is in drydock for repairs in Greenock.
Efforts are underway to remove the stern tube bearings for further assessment and if their condition is within limits, they will be sent to Norway to be machined and refurbished.
However, if this is not possible, CalMac will have to wait on new bearings. These
have been ordered, though the first is not expected to be available until mid-December.
More information should be available later in the week.
During an inspection, eight frames were found to be deformed in two areas of the vessel and a need for significant steel replacement identified. This work is already underway.
CalMac is consulting a naval architect about the root cause of the deformation and is liaising with the drydock operator and other parties on the repair timeline and the cost.
MV Caledonian Isles has scarcely carried a passenger or completed a sailing this year. She vanished from her Arran route at New Year after heading off for a supposed three week annual overhaul. Since then, a series of announced return dates have been a constant moving target and despite a fleeting appearance in September the ship has never returned to passenger duties.
Complex issues with a significant amount of decayed steel discovered in an extremely problematic area in her engine room ended up taking months to resolve. A fresh set of setbacks hit in September when her gearbox failed.
Now, MV Caledonian Isles could remain out of service until the end of the winter
timetable in late March in a worst-case scenario.
CalMac says the timetable for the latest repairs can only be finalised when the drydock confirms dates for accepting the vessel.
At least three weeks of works is anticipated to align the shafts, gearboxes and engines after the vessel refloats.
Due to the uncertainty around dock availability and the full repair scope, the ferry could remain out of service for another five months.
An earlier return to service may be possible, depending on several other factors such as dock availability.
The maritime firm will now consult with island communities later this week on a revised vessel deployment plan for winter.
CalMac’s interim chief executive Duncan Mackison said: “The planned scope of work
we’d identified for drydock is progressing well, but the discovery of these latest
issues has eliminated any chance of a return to service in the short-term.
“We are in no doubt about the current challenges facing the network and the people who rely on it. We anticipated a challenging winter, and that is exactly what we’re seeing play out.
“Any decisions we take around the service off the back of this news will cause disruption in places, and we will now consult with communities to get their valuable input into that service plan.
“Our recent efforts to add resilience to the service, such as through trialling third-party
vessels and by bringing forward the drydock work for MV Caledonian Isles, will continue.
We will leave no stone unturned as we try to meet the needs of the island communities
we serve.”
Shipping changes will be revealed in CalMac’s latest version of a revised winter deployment plan to be published by Wednesday 13 November. Disruption timetables will take effect from Saturday 16 November.
Winter ferry disruption alert as CalMac warns key ship may be out of action until April
5 November 2024
