Fresh problems with MV Lord of the Isles (Loti) have hindered hopes of reinstating South Uist’s ferry service on Tuesday.
Sailings are cancelled again after problems emerged with the vessel’s “bow visor sealing arrangement.”
The issue was reported earlier today (Monday) after the vessel steamed northwards from her extended annual overhaul at Birkenhead near Liverpool.
As an indicator of CalMac’s determination to ensure safety standards, various contractors
as well as in-house specialists will attend at the Loti at the Lighthouse Pier in
Oban on Tuesday to assess the situation and formulate a means of repair.
Planned sailings for Tuesday and Wednesday are cancelled though CalMac flags up the
possibility - only if the bow door issue is repaired - of a one-way sailing from
Oban to Lochboisdale on Wednesday afternoon. An update on Tuesday afternoon is promised.
When she eventually resumes operations it will only be for three weeks, her stint for South Uist to be curtailed immediately after New Year when Mallaig sailings will suspended again and a different vessel drafted in to run a reduced shared service with Barra for a month.
MV Lord of the Isles has sporadically operated her designated route for much of this year with South Uist suffering repeated periods of withdrawn sailings.
Skeleton timetables with reduced frequency of journeys and relief ship sailings detoured to mainland destinations nearly 90 miles away from the timetabled port created yet another dismal summer for the travelling public plus a fresh pounding for local businesses.
Reduced ability to operate in a stiff breeze due to a defective stabiliser increased the number of cancelled sailings for the vessel which covers one of CalMac’s most exposed sea routes.
Chaos carried on into the autumn with contracted services axed when the ship was taken away to cover technical outages and breakdowns elsewhere on the CalMac network.
Her voyage to annual drydock at the beginning of November arrived on time but her
stay at Birkenhead ran well over schedule, preventing her planned end-November return
to service.
Additional work and inspections were undertaken at a sheltered lay-up berth and,
finally, at the weekend, she was given the go-ahead to proceed to sea, setting course
for the west coast after Storm Darragh cleared.
CalMac does not have a replacement vessel available to provide a relief service with disrupted passengers being diverted via longer travel routes.
Extra sailings on the inter-island Barra - Eriskay/ South Uist route will be available
to provide a potential connection for any traffic which may be willing to endure
a detour between Oban and Castlebay.
The root cause of the failure to provide the required lifeline ferry sailings as per contract is the dire under investment in the Hebridean and Clyde fleet over the years leaving CalMac with a shortage of relief vessels.
Sailings cancelled as bow door concerns emerge during ferry’s return from extended overhaul
9 December 2024
