CalMac faces a fresh blow in providing lifeline sailings to west coast communities
after two life-raft rescue systems on MV Isle of Mull failed vital safety inspections.
The ship remains in service with strict curbs on passenger numbers.
Shipping safety regulator, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), has ruled a maximum of only 45 passengers at any time are permitted to travel on the vessel until the problem is fixed.
But, “several months” may pass before a brand new system is installed.
The low passenger limit seems set to remain well into the busy summer season as CalMac warns it has been impossible to source a similar replacement system anywhere.
MV Isle of Mull - which normally operates the Craignure run - is to take up the South
Uist route from this weekend while adding on the Barra service next month.
Some sailings in this period are over capacity highlights CalMac. Affected travellers impacted by this reduction will be contacted by the ferry operator.
CalMac says deployment options from 8 March to the end of the winter timetable are under review and will be confirmed next week.
The ferry has an emergency life-raft rescue system - or marine evacuation system
(MES) - fitted on each side of the vessel, which are critical in saving lives if
an “abandon ship” situation ever arose.
Both are presently unusable due to a serious defect with their evacuation slides.
MV Isle of Mull is one of CalMac’s most versatile vessels, being called into action more often in recent years following redeployment constraints on MV Isle of Arran and the now retired MV Hebridean Isles.
Reduced limits will be in force when the Isle of Mull picks up the South Uist run on Sunday following MV Lord of the Isles’ (Loti) transfer to Coll and Tiree.
CalMac urges travellers to buy their tickets well in advance in order to secure passage.
The shipping operator says passenger numbers for South Uist at this time of year seldom exceed the newly imposed low limit.
However, that doesn’t give the full picture as travellers lost faith in the service’s reliability the more CalMac withdrew sailings.
Impacts may be more acutely felt in February, particularly during the schools’ half
term break, when Barra travellers are added into the mix. MV Isle of Mull is to run
a combined service for both island communities when MV Isle of Lewis heads off for
a month-long overhaul.
In addition, tickets are currently being sold for unconfirmed sailings between 8 and 22 March even though the company warns a vessel may not be available. CalMac said updates on ferry deployment options will be revealed next week.
The MES problem was discovered during the Mull’s recent annual overhaul in Aberdeen. The reduced passenger figure is based on her lifeboats’ seating capacity.
CalMac says two brand new MES systems need to be installed which will require the ship to be taken out of service for structural “modifications.”
Like other CalMac ships, the Mull’s typical winter passenger certificate figure is scaled down compared to summer levels, reflecting reduced crew manning requirements in the quieter months. According to CMAL her maximum passenger limit is 951 during peak season.
A CalMac spokesperson said: "During the routine inspection of the deployed system, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) identified an issue with the embarkation slide, resulting in the slide failing the inspection.
"Due to the failure, the starboard side MES system was removed for OEM inspection and, unfortunately, failed with the same issue with the glue used in the slide construction.
"The MES is inspected during overhauls and the annual inspection completed the previous year (2023) had not identified this as a potential issue.
"Working with the OEM and after an extensive worldwide search, it has become evident
that there is no like-for-like replacement available.
“Obsolescence combined with the design changes in the replacement systems mean that we do not have a compatible evacuation slide to embark passengers onto the life rafts in an emergency.
“It is possible that this could take several months to complete. Time will then be
required to install and test the system before returning the vessel to a normal passengers-on-board
figure.”
MV Isle of Mull will operate her normal Oban - Mull route between Tuesday and Saturday.
From this Sunday to 1 February she will sail between South Uist and Oban.
For the rest of February until Monday 3 March the ship follows a combined Lochboisdale/Castlebay/Oban timetable.
Then she returns to a dedicated Lochboisdale - Oban service until Friday 7 March.
CalMac reviews deployment options after ferry regulator curbs passenger numbers on
‘go-
30 December 2024
