Latest news with #MVCaledonianIsles
The Herald Scotland
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Cost to repair CalMac ferry now costs £2m more than to buy replacement
The rejected ferry was similar in design to the 'emergency' catamaran ferry MV Alfred serving Arran that has now been chartered for a further five months to help state-owned ferry operator CalMac cope with lifeline services across the Clyde and Hebrides network. The usual Arran ferry MV Caledonian Isles was due out of its annual overhaul on February 17, last year but remains out of service. After a series of postponements, its latest scheduled return has been pencilled in for June 12. Some users had hoped it would be back on Monday and CalMac said it was always earmarked for the week beginning June 9. The ship has faced a series of issues including rust and twisted frames. In the meantime, the service to Brodick has had to move from Ardrossan and continue from Troon with a two-vessel service of the new much delayed and wildly over-budget Ferguson Marine-built MV Glen Sannox and MV Alfred. Four years ago the Scottish Government-owned owner of the ferry fleet demanded a foreign firm pay up to £100,000 to gain UK maritime approval before purchasing ferry for just £9m - and the insistence led to the deal collapsing. Discussions about acquiring the Indonesia-built vessel came before what was described at the time as a 'summer of chaos' across Scotland's ageing ferry network. READ MORE: Why has a 'rudderless' CalMac ferry been out of action for 16 months 'Final nail in coffin'. Scots fiasco firm loses out on big ferry contract to Poland 'Material uncertainty' over Scots ferry operator future amidst £45m funding hike 'Mismanagement': Public cost of Scots ferry fiasco firm hits £750m amidst overspends It was claimed that Scottish Government-owned procuring and ferry owning company Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) made an "incredible" move to have the overseas owners fork out for the official approvals for any modifications to make it suitable for Scottish waters which were estimated to have cost no more than £100,000. CalMac (Image: Newsquest) Scottish Labour's spokesman for community safety Katy Clark said: 'Spending almost £11m to repair a vessel that is 32 years old shows once again the wasteful nature of this SNP Scottish Government and poor decision making when it comes to spending public money and their utter lack of planning to ensure the CalMac fleet was renewed. "The SNP government quango, Caledonian Marine assets Limited (CMAL) rejected calls four years ago to buy a brand new £9m catamaran ferry to support the islanders of Arran and those that travel from the mainland to the island. "We now have ended up with a bill to the taxpayer of £10.8m for a vessel that's already months late in returning to service and which can't be guaranteed to even last the summer months given its history of breaking down." The West of Scotland MSP added: "This is another blow for the residents on Arran and the mainland. The Scottish Government have serious questions to answer again relating to their complete failure to ensure a reliable service between Arran and Ardrossan. "It is imperative that [transport secretary ] Fiona Hyslop gets to grips with this situation, provides a definitive business case for the redevelopment of Ardrossan Harbour to ensure there is a ferry service that people can rely on and that they put in place an adequate vessel building programme in Scotland. We need decisive action not further delays and vessels that aren't fit for purpose.' A ferry user group official said that the rising costs of repairs were "indicative of the mismanagement of Scotland's ferries" and called for CMAL to take the use of catamarans like MV Alfred seriously. "The cost of this repair really does beggar belief and the fact that the price of it would more than have paid for a catamaran like MV Alfred is incredible." The Mull & Iona Ferry Committee had been pushing the purchase of the ferry because of issues with the ferry services after local experts discovered the vessel had become available last year. MV Alfred (Image: NQ) The ferry would have been capable of taking two thirds of the number of cars that MV Glen Sannox would have been able to accommodate and a condition of the sale was that it would have had to be approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which provides official certification for all ships. The over-200 foot metre roll-on roll off ferry could take 300 passengers and around 80 cars and was originally designed for a non-UK company, and was regulated for the Australian market. But the Scottish Government said that after a review of a Maritime Safety Innovations (MSI) report it was decided not to pursue the purchase of the vessel. The sellers, Hong Kong-base Sealease, criticised the handling of the failed potential purchase saying that it was common market practice that the buyer pays for regulatory approvals. The ferry committee had been introduced to the potential advantages of medium-speed catamarans by noted ferry experts Prof Alf Baird and Roy Pedersen. In May 2020, Mr Pedersen wrote to the CMAL alerting him to the opportunity to buy the catamaran that was under construction in Batam, Indonesia. The catamaran was similar in design to the MV Alfred owned by Pentland Ferries which before its operation as an 'emergency ferry' for Arran in the past two years was operating to and from Orkney. Dubbed the most environmentally-friendly ferry service of its kind in Scotland, MV Alfred was said to burn one third of the fuel of an equivalent CalMac ferry with space for up to 430 passengers and 98 cars, or 54 cars and 12 articulated vehicles/coaches. A shore-based wind turbine provides power when the vessel is docked overnight. It has, meanwhile been confirmed that the 'emergency' CalMac catamaran ferry which is being chartered for a further five months will be costing the taxpayer some £22m. Pentland Ferries has stated that it has signed an agreement with publicly funded CalMac to extend the charter of MV Alfred till the end of October. Pentland Ferries staff, who are operating services on behalf of Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac, bought MV Alfred for £14m in 2019 to operate between Caithness and Orkney. It has previously emerged that Scotland's ageing ferries have been hit by a staggering 2,000% rise in cancellations due to breakdowns over 13 years. Crisis-hit CalMac was forced to axe 4,485 lifeline sailings due to technical faults in 2023 compared with just 217 in 2010 as it struggled to keep its fleet afloat. Meanwhile, the company running the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde has been dogged with issues with the delivery of major lifeline ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa which were due online in the first half of 2018 when Ferguson Marine was under the control of tycoon Jim McColl. With both to serve Arran, they have been over seven years late, while Glen Rosa might won't see passengers till the middle of 2026 at the earliest. The last estimates suggest the costs of delivery have increased five-fold from the original £97m cost. A Transport Scotland spokesman said: 'The Scottish Government is investing in six new major vessels to serve Scotland's ferry network from 2025, alleviating the need for extensive repairs on older vessels and improving reliability. The first of these vessels, MV Glen Sannox, was delivered into service earlier this year and we expect the first of the Islay class vessels later this summer. 'CMAL have also awarded the contract for a further seven new smaller vessels which will serve routes across the west coast and have also just announced the start of procurement for two new vessels for the Northern Isles routes serving Orkney and Shetland. 'To improve service in the short term, we also purchased the MV Loch Frisa and extended the charter of the MV Alfred. We continue to work with operators and CMAL to improve resilience across our networks.'
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Why has a 'rudderless' CalMac ferry been out of action for 16 months
It comes as the normal Arran ferry . 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles which was due out of its annual overhaul on February 17, last year remains out of service. The vessel was spotted going into dry dock 'rudderless' while returning to dry dock in Greenock this week with CalMac saying repairs were part of planned work to the vessel and that they were being reattached this week. What is the MV Caledonian Isles? Commissioned in 1993, the MV Caledonian Isles is a roll-on/roll-off passenger and vehicle ferry. It has been a cornerstone of the Arran ferry service, accommodating both residents and tourists traveling between Ardrossan and Arran. With a capacity for approximately 1,000 passengers and 110 cars, it is one of the largest and oldest vessels in the CalMac fleet. Why has it been out of action? The ferry was withdrawn from service in January 2024 for its scheduled annual overhaul but has remained out of circulation. During this maintenance period, engineers discovered significant issues, including deformed steel frames and damage to the port gearbox. These findings led to extensive repairs, including steelwork replacements and gearbox overhauls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ READ MORE: £22m public cost expected as CalMac emergency ferry 'kept for another five months' ScotGov raises 'doubt' on CalMac getting new ferry contract from October ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Further complications arose when additional damage was identified during testing, leading to repeated delays in the vessel's return to service. MV Caledonian Isles (Image: Newsquest) Some users speculated about whether it will be available for its planned return next week after it was spotted being taken back to dry dock near Greenock after some said it appeared "rudderless". CalMac confirmed repairs to MV Caledonian Isles rudder were part of the planned work to the vessel and are being reattached this week. CalMac says it is now due back on June 12. How has this affected ferry services? The prolonged absence of the MV Caledonian Isles has significantly impacted ferry services to Arran. CalMac has deployed alternative vessels, such as the MV Alfred and the MV Hebridean Isles, to maintain service on the route. However, these vessels have smaller capacities and have faced their own mechanical issues, leading to reduced service reliability and capacity constraints. The disruptions have affected the local economy, tourism, and the daily lives of island residents. MV Hebridean Isles has now retired, but the much-delayed and over-budget MV Glen Sannox has been online since January - seven years after it was scheduled to take passengers. The loss has had a knock on effect across CalMac's Clyde and Hebrides lifeline island ferry network with disruption felt on islands as vessels are repositioned to try and provide the best service possible. What are the financial implications? The repairs to the MV Caledonian Isles have been costly, contributing to a broader financial strain on Scotland's ferry infrastructure. The cost of repairing MV Caledonian Isles was last estimated at £7m. But the cost of chartering MV Alfred as an emergency ferry because of breakdowns to CalMac ageing ferry fleet is expected to run £22m after it was agreed it should remain for a further five months. MV Alfred (Image: NQ) It was in March 2023, that the Scottish Government announced that it had chartered Alfred for nine months to supplement the fleet. Over the past decade, nearly £100 million has been spent on repairs for Scotland's major ferries, with the MV Caledonian Isles accounting for a significant portion of this expenditure. These costs have sparked criticism regarding the management and maintenance of the ferry fleet, highlighting the need for investment in new vessels and infrastructure. What does CalMac say? Louis de Wolff, interim fleet management director for CalMac, said: 'We are now in the final stages of the repair plan for MV Caledonian Isles, and we're looking forward to seeing her back in service soon. She'll significantly increase capacity and frequency of service for Arran, operating from Ardrossan. 'We are looking forward to seeing the vessel back on the water for sea trials from this Sunday, which, given the length of time she has been off service, will be thorough and will include berthing trials at Ardrossan and Brodick. 'The extension to MV Alfred's charter will give the network much-needed resilience until the end of the summer timetable. Plans for her deployment are being finalised and will be announced soon.'
STV News
2 days ago
- Business
- STV News
CalMac extends MV Alfred charter as MV Caledonian Isles set for summer return
CalMac has once again extended the emergency MV Alfred charter for another five months to support Scotland's ferry network. Pentland Ferries announced on Tuesday that they had signed an agreement with the state-owned ferry operator to extend the charter of MV Alfred until the end of October. Confirming the announcement, Louis de Wolff, interim fleet management director for CalMac, said the charter extension 'will give the network much-needed resilience until the end of the summer timetable'. Helen Inkster, managing director of Pentland Ferries, said: 'I am pleased to confirm that we have signed an agreement with CalMac Ferries to extend the charter of MV Alfred until the end of October 2025.' A two-vessel service with MV Glen Sannox and MV Alfred will remain in place between Troon and Brodick until the end of Wednesday, June 11, with Glen Sannox remaining on the route following that date. MV Alfred's deployment will be finalised and announced soon. The Alfred has been chartered by CalMac since April 2023 to provide additional support within the Clyde and Hebrides network while the MV Caledonian Isles has been in the dry-dock for repairs. The vessel went in for its annual service in January 2024, but has been out of action ever since – putting pressure on the rest of CalMac's ageing ferry fleet. CalMac confirmed on Tuesday that the MV Caledonian Isles will now return on Thursday, June 12. The ageing vessel had been expected back on Monday, June 9. Mr de Wolff said CalMac is 'now in the final stages of the repair plan for MV Caledonian Isles', and is 'looking forward to seeing her back in service soon'. 'She'll significantly increase capacity and frequency of service for Arran, operating from Ardrossan,' de Wolff said. 'We are looking forward to seeing the vessel back on the water for sea trials from this Sunday, which, given the length of time she has been off service, will be thorough and will include berthing trials at Ardrossan and Brodick. 'The extension to MV Alfred's charter will give the network much-needed resilience until the end of the summer timetable. Plans for her deployment are being finalised and will be announced soon.' As a result of the MV Alfred extension, the Resident Discount Scheme for the ferry has also been extended for the same timeframe. Orkney residents who have already booked travel between June 1 and 7, are encouraged to contact the office for a refund. Refunds will automatically be applied to residents who have booked to travel between June 8 and October 31. 'With both MV Alfred and MV Pentalina in service, we are pleased to maintain a reliable service for our passengers, support over 80 jobs, and ensure that the business continues to invest in the local community and is well-positioned for the future,' Ms Inkster said. 'We look forward to continuing our partnership with CalMac Ferries and serving the island communities in both Orkney and the west of Scotland.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
£22m public cost expected as MV Alfred kept for another five months
It is expected that that will take the costs of chartering the catamaran to £22m. That's £8m more than it cost to buy. There is already an existing £17m bill for MV Alfred, which covers the period from May 2023, which on its own is half the price of a similar vessel that could have been bought outright four years ago but was rejected. It comes as normal Arran ferry MV Caledonian Isles which was due out of its annual overhaul on February 17, last year remains out of service. Some users have speculated about whether it will be available for its planned return on Monday after it was spotted being taken back to dry dock near Greenock after some said it appeared "rudderless". Pentland Ferries aid the charter of MV Alfred, which is operating alongside CalMac's newest ferry the long-awaited and over-budget MV Glen Sannox until the end of October. And some users have speculated that this is a sign that MV Caledonian Isles will not be returning as quickly as expected after a series of postponed returns. READ MORE: ScotGov raises 'doubt' on CalMac getting new ferry contract from October Why does CalMac still run Scotland's ferries amidst continuing ire? 'People going bananas': New ferry fiasco hits vital island supplies One user ferry group official said: "Nobody really understands what is going on because there has been little by way of communication. But clearly MV Alfred remains useful as there has been a lack of capacity in the system but mainly for Arran. "But it does make you wonder what is happening with Cale Isles." "We have seen some cuts to services in recent months around the islands, although not where the MV Alfred has been operating in. Nevertheless it has proved fairly reliable for Arran. "It does make you wonder, however why it a ferry like that wasn't just bought in the first place as it would be cheaper." Pentland Ferries staff, who are operating services on behalf of Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac, bought MV Alfred for £14m in 2019 to operate between Caithness and Orkney. (Image: Newsquest) The 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles, which serves on the Arran route, one of the busiest on the Scottish coast, and is due to be replaced, has been out of action since going for an overhaul at the start of January, last year with repairs costing over £7m. MV Alfred, which has been operating on the lifeline Arran service, one the busiest in the CalMac network, was built in Vietnam and can accommodate 430 passengers and 98 cars, or 54 cars and 12 articulated vehicles/coaches. At the time it was described as the "most environmentally-friendly ferry in Scotland". With the deal, all crew were to be provided by Pentland Ferries who are responsible for delivery of service and the operational, technical and safety management of the vessel, including maintenance, repair, overhaul and provision of crew throughout the charter period. The costs are due to cover berthing dues, fuel, the commercial charter rate and other undisclosed costs. Over four years ago a deal to buy a vessel similar in design to MV Alfred for £9m collapsed after the Scottish Government-owned procuring and ferry owning company Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) demanded a foreign firm pay up to £100,000 to pay for modifications that would allow it to gain UK maritime approval for it. Negotiations had been taking place to secure the Indonesia-built vessel for months but the owners of the catamaran said they believed CMAL were never serious in completing the sale. The vessel was expected to take around two thirds of the number of cars that MV Glen Sannox would be able to accommodate and a condition of the sale was that it would have had to be approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which provides official certification for all ships. The over-200 foot metre roll-on roll off ferry could take 300 passengers and around 80 cars and was originally designed for a non-UK company, and was regulated for the Australian market. The Mull and Iona Ferry Committee that was pushing for the purchase said the Indonesia-built vessel would have been capable of working to all ports in the network with a full drive-through operation. But CMAL said at the time: "We simply cannot spend millions of pounds of taxpayers' money on a new-build vessel that may not be able to secure a passenger certificate and therefore never be able to operate on Scottish routes.' MV Alfred was originally meant to be on a nine month charter, and was to be in service until the first of two long-delayed ferries, Glen Sannox was in service. After delay upon delay, Glen Sannox entered service in January - but MV Alfred is still required. Scotland's ageing ferries have been hit by a staggering 2,000% rise in cancellations due to breakdowns over 13 years. Crisis-hit CalMac was forced to axe 4,485 lifeline sailings due to technical faults in 2023 compared with just 217 in 2010 as it struggled to keep its fleet afloat. Meanwhile, the company running the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde has been dogged with issues with the delivery of major lifeline ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa which were due online in the first half of 2018 when Ferguson Marine was under the control of tycoon Jim McColl. With both to serve Arran, they have been over seven years late, while Glen Rosa might won't see passengers till the middle of 2026 at the earliest. The last estimates suggest the costs of delivery more have increased fivefoled from the original £97m cost. Ferguson Marine, which employs over 400 staff, including over 100 sub-contractors was taken over by the Scottish Government at the end of 2019 following its financial collapse as a row erupted over long delays and mounting costs over the delivery of the vessels.
The National
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Ferries dominate FMQs amid fresh Ferguson Marine delay
The Glen Rosa ferry, the sister ship of the Glen Sannox which was launched earlier this year, had been due to enter service in September but it will now not not be delivered until April 2026 at the earliest, the nationalised Ferguson Marine shipyard has said. The costs have also been revised up to £172.5 million with an additional £12.5m risk contingency for a total of £185m. The Glen Rosa and Glen Sannox were both originally meant to be built under a £97m contract and delivered in 2018. READ MORE: MV Caledonian Isles return faces further delay The First Minister said the delay to the Glen Rosa was "unacceptable" as he tried to defend the Scottish Government's record in the face of questions from both Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar on the saga. In response to Findlay asking why the ferry delivery had taken so long, Swinney said: "The time it's taken to build the Glen Rosa is unacceptable." He added his Government is very focused on "early progress" being made on the ferry. Findlay attacked Swinney for "personally signing off" on what he branded a "corrupt" CalMac procurement process, insisting no one in the SNP had taken responsibility for the episode. Swinney said: "I unreservedly accept my responsibility for everything that happens in the name of my government." Swinney faced similar grilling from Sarwar, though the Scottish Labour leader focused on how the delays to ferries were impacting communities in Arran. Extensive repairs being made to the Caledonian Isles, which has been out of service since January last year, has led to no ferries going between the island and Ardrossan, with the new Glen Sannox unable to fit in the dock there. Instead, the Glen Sannox and the MV Alfred have been taking passengers to Arran from Troon, which has caused a multitude of issues. Given the ferry journey takes longer from Troon, there are fewer services than there were from Ardrossan, causing issues for people attending medical appointments. Foot passengers are also finding it challenging to make onwards journeys to Glasgow, as they have to get a shuttle bus to the train station. The Caledonian Isles may not return to service until June 9, despite having been expected to return in November last year. Sarwar says the ferry fiasco is "damaging lives and livelihoods" in communities like Arran where people face a three-hour trip for hospital appointments. He claimed to exclusively reveal that CalMac has spent an additional £500m on repairs. Swinney said: "This government at all times will invest in our ferry network, we will invest in our island communities and we will apply the stringent control to public finances that I've seen this government re-elected on several times before." Swinney pointed out how only 3.4% of CalMac services are cancelled due to technical reasons, with other cancellations caused by the weather.
