Arran’s tourist seasons have been thrown into disarray after it was confirmed by CalMac that the MV Caledonian Isles needs a £5m repair which will take a minimum of four months to complete.
Traditionally the service would need to operate with at least two vessels to cope with traffic volumes during Easter and summer, however, with the vessel out of commission and the MV Alfred unable to use the now defunct Irish berth, the route could be left with a fraction of the required capacity.
Operator CalMac has announced that problems had been discovered during Caledonian Isles’ overhaul, which was scheduled to be finished by the end of January before being extended to March.
Now, owing to the extent of the corrosion found, a far larger steel renewal and repair will need to be undertaken on the 31-year-old vessel, leaving it out of action until at least June.
The work required means the auxiliary and main engines will need to be removed. The repairs also need to be undertaken in a specific order as the structural integrity of the vessel could be compromised if a certain sequence is not followed.
Robbie Drummond, CalMac chief executive, said: “We know this news will cause concern and frustration for communities across the whole network and we apologise for this.
“Our team will be working exceptionally hard over the coming days to assess every eventuality in terms of vessel deployment, with a view to minimising disruption for the communities and customers we serve. We will do the best we can in these circumstances, but it is unavoidable that there will be a knock-on effect on other routes on the network.
“MV Caledonian Isles has served North Ayrshire with distinction for more than three decades but like any ageing vessel the scope of work required in annual overhaul is likely to grow each year.
“More than a third of our vessels are now operating beyond their average life expectancy and we invested record levels in annual maintenance in 2023.
“We are stretched to the absolute limit in terms of network deployment already and the arrival of six major and 10 small vessels in the coming years will provide much-needed resilience and reliability to the service.”
The loss of the main Arran ferry is expected to have significant knock-on effects across the network, with bosses needing to scramble to maintain adequate services across all of its routes. CalMac confirmed it will communicate these timetable changes by March 4.
Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, says that an emergency strategy needs to be implemented immediately.
She added: “This is yet another blow for islanders who rely on this vital service.
“Ferry users on CalMac’s busiest route are now fully reliant on the oldest ship in the fleet. The relief vessel CalMac has leased is being overhauled and can’t run from the remaining berth at Ardrossan. The new replacement vessels for the route have been endlessly delayed and we don’t yet have a refreshed business case to redevelop the harbour these new vessels are supposed to run from.
“We are now past the point where this can be described as a shambles. The Scottish Government is outright failing in its duty to provide a public service to islanders.
“An emergency strategy is now needed to save the Ardrossan-Brodick service and ensure islanders are being served.”
Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, also blasted the four-month delay in the return of MV Caledonian Isles to her duties.
He said: “This latest revelation is just about the worst news possible for Arran and the entire CalMac network.
“This ageing vessel is more than three decades old and is costing millions of pounds to repair and keep afloat.
“Its recent absence has been devastating for the Arran economy. Its return was highly anticipated by residents and businesses but has now been delayed by an estimated four more months.
“CalMac has made clear it has deep concerns about the structural integrity of the vessel, which is a horrific scenario. The SNP government’s record when it comes to Scotland’s ferry network has been nothing short of a farce.
“After 17 years in power, it has no-one to blame but itself and I hope it pays a heavy price at the polls for it among our island communities.
“The people of Arran urgently need a full ferry service and I will be taking this up with ministers in Parliament with immediate urgency.”
Lobbying group, the Arran Ferry Committee, has said it is “pushing for contingency plans” with members communicating with CalMac on a daily basis while investigating options for service provision on the island.
A CalMac spokesperson said: “We understand that customers and communities will be concerned. Our team is currently assessing and evaluating the best deployment options with the vessels that are available to us during this period and at all times our decisions will be focused on doing all we can to support services and minimise the effect.
"Given the circumstances, we will do the best we can, but want to be clear there will be a knock-on effect on other routes across the network.
“As background and per previous updates, MV Caledonian Isles entered overhaul on January 4 in Greenock. During this work, it was identified there was more steel renewal required beyond what was originally planned and the vessel was moved to Cammel Laird. Work has begun at the yard on a full assessment on the scope of repairs and we expect to receive this report shortly.
“We will update customers on how this will affect various routes across the network by Monday March 4. Amended timetables will be published at this point too.”
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