Achi news desk-
It means the MV Caledonian Isles, one of the elder statesmen of the aging ferry fleet, will have been out of action for at least eight months.
The ferry operator had warned in February of disruption across the Clyde and Hebrides network as a result of steelwork problems with the 31-year-old ferry which serves the Arran route, one of the busiest on the Scottish coast, and expect her to be. replace But the timetables for his return have been regularly changed since he was sidelined in January.
READ MORE: Apologies as three CalMac ferries sidelined in new ‘disorder’
The 29-year-old MV Isle of Lewis is also out of action after issues came to light on Sunday.
It is moored at Greenock for bow visor repairs.
The development has disrupted services to and from the besieged island of South Uist.
One of the oldest ships in CalMac’s aging fleet, the 37-year-old MV Isle of Mull, has been drafted in to operate a two-island rush schedule until Friday to and from Barra and Lochboisdale, South Uist’s main port. It had already been moved from the Mull service to operate to and from South Uist until May 10 due to network problems.
CalMac was forced to pull the MV Loch Shira off one of its busiest routes on April 5 after it was damaged by heavy vehicles and was expected to be sidelined for months.
The vessel, which normally operates on the Largs to Cumbrae route, entered dry dock for repairs and is not expected to return until mid-June at the earliest.
It comes as delays to the ferry operator’s annual renewal program lead to disruption across the Clyde and Hebrides network.
Mr Gibson, who is convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee and whose Cunninghame North constituency covers Arran, told Ms Hyslop: “We know that repairs to the Isles of Cale are more extensive than expected but how can anyone one has any confidence in CalMac’s repair schedules that went from March to June and now August and how can anyone plan ahead with these constantly moving goalposts.”
He said he was pleased the transport secretary was reminding people that Arran was open for business, but added: “What practical steps are the government going to take to get that message across to the wider public which is only see bad news on tv?
Ms Hyslop responded by saying she had told CalMac to be more prudent about its repair timetables.
He said: “I am very aware of the impact the disruptions can have on people and businesses. However, there is capacity, there are ships that have been deployed to support these vital areas. The complexity of the scheme ship Cale Isles means that repairs must be done in a coordinated and controlled manner, which is an extremely complex repair effort.
“I have made it clear to CalMac that I think it would be useful for them to be honest, and I think realistically about timetables because that helps some kind of confidence in terms of planning.”
He added: “I will continue to emphasize to CalMac the need to clearly communicate that the island remains open for business.”
The MV Caledonian Isles has been out of action since undergoing refit at the beginning of January and it was hoped in the last update that it would be back by July to help with the busy summer period.
But consumer groups which have been pushing for back-up plans have discovered that the ship will not return until sometime in late August at the earliest.
The boats were already sidelined for over three months with more steelwork and engine problems at this time last year with repairs estimated at the time at £1m. It had been due to leave the yard after an overhaul before engineers identified problems with the engines, steelwork and bearings.
Further steelwork problems were attributed to a further period spent at the yard in early 2022.
It was found that the ship had major technical problems during the renovation work again this year and it was not originally expected to return until at least the end of next March.
Users had been told that the vessel needed “extensive steelwork” leading to concerns that it was suffering from rust problems.
They were originally told that the ship was not expected back until at least the end of March.
But in February they were informed that the MV Caledonian Isle will be delayed in dry dock for an estimated 16 more weeks before the return journey is delayed again.
Meanwhile, the new ferries Glen Sannox and sister ship Glen Rosa, which were due to come online in the first half of 2018, are now both due to serve Arran, at least six years late, and the costs are expected to be four times the original contract of £97m.
Meanwhile in the Scottish Parliament, west of Scotland MEP Jamie Greene said: “Frustration is an underestimation of the strength of feelings on our islands.
“What they are really staring down the barrel of is a summer of more chaos on the ferry network.”
“Is it any wonder our islanders are nervous about the coming summer season.”
Ms Hyslop emphasized that islanders are still able to travel despite the disruption to shipping.
But he admitted: “This is a challenge – no doubt, we know that.
“I have been adamant that this will be a difficult time, especially with dry trimming [such as the Caledonian Isles repairs].
“But let’s support our islands, say they are open for business, and do so with a united voice.
“I am very aware of the impact the disruption can have on people and businesses.
“The complexity of the design of the Caledonian Islands means that the repairs must be carried out in a coordinated and controlled manner, which is an extremely complex repair effort.
“I have made it clear to CalMac that I think it would be useful for them to be honest and realistic about timetables because that helps confidence in planning.”
He said Transport Scotland was “urgently” considering a request from the Arran Ferry Committee and CalMac to increase Alfred’s passenger capacity while Cale Isles remains out of service.
CalMac acting chief executive Duncan Mackison said: “In the last week, we have been informed that the scope of the repairs will take much longer than expected.”
“We know this news is disappointing, especially for the people of Arran, which is normally served by the ship. The scope of work provided in February was indicative and subject to change based on a full analysis of the ship’s repair needs. The nature of the ship’s structure means that this analysis has been ongoing alongside repair work. This is an extremely complex repair effort where we have to be aware of the age and condition of the vessel.
“As part of the work, the auxiliary engines and their bedplates were removed from the ship to allow access to the double bottom water ballast tanks. The structure under the main engines is being supported using hydraulic jacks, while the steel around these engines is being renewed. The main engines will need to be lifted off their bedplates to allow access under the engines to renew the steel on top of the tank directly below the sump.
“With our partners, we exhausted all possible avenues to avoid removing the engines, but this was the only way to complete the work to the required standard.
“Our aim is to get the vessel back into service as quickly as possible, and in that spirit we are in regular contact with the dry dock operator, who is working around the clock to complete these repairs quickly. We will continue to liaise with the Arran Ferry Committee and other local stakeholders on the vessel’s progress.”
