Latest news with #PentlandFerries
Scotsman
30-07-2025
- Scotsman
CalMac ferries crisis: 'Never-ending storm of disruption' for key route as timetable changes hit
Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Passengers on one of CalMac's busiest routes are facing a 'never-ending storm of disruption' by being forced to switch several times between ports 15 miles apart, an MSP has complained. It comes amid fears the operator's ferries crisis could get even worse when several major vessels are taken out of service for annual overhauls this autumn. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Extended repairs to Caledonian Isles could take almost two years | John Devlin/The Scotsman A shortage of ferries because of breakdowns and refits, along with with harbour maintenance work, means sailings on the main ferry route to Arran will be shifted between Ardrossan and Troon several times until October. It will also result in a single, smaller ferry providing the service for a week compared to the normal two. The service to and from Brodick will only run from Troon until September 7, then it transfers to Ardrossan for a week before returning to Troon from September 15. Many passengers prefer travelling from Ardrossan because it is a shorter crossing and the port has a rail link with Glasgow. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, CalMac was forced to suspend the service in January because of a shortage of ferries during mammoth repairs to Caledonian Isles, the route's main vessel, which could continue until November - nearly two years. Another vessel, Isle of Arran, was drafted in to serve the route for three weeks until Thursday last week, but it was then switched to cover the main Islay route. The ferry will return to temporarily resume Ardrossan-Brodick sailings from Sept 8-14 while the Troon linkspan, which enables vehicles to drive on and off vessels, undergoes maintenance. Winter timetable plans due But there will be no Ardrossan sailings again from September 15 to at least October 19, with CalMac reviewing its planned winter timetables because of Caledonian Isles' extended absence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The ferry operator said it planned to share the information with affected communities in the next couple of weeks. Troon sailings are handled by the new Glen Sannox ferry and chartered catamaran Alfred, neither of which can use Ardrossan. Alfred has been on charter to CalMac from Pentland Ferries in Orkney since 2023 | John Devlin/The Scotsman Isle of Arran will be out of service from September 18 to October 23 for annual maintenance, followed by Loch Seaforth, CalMac's largest vessel, which operates the Ullapool-Stornoway route, from October 18. 'The latest downpour' That will further reduce capacity on the main Arran route as Alfred is due to help cover for Loch Seaforth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad West of Scotland Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene said: 'Islanders are facing a never-ending storm of disruption and this news is just the latest downpour. 'The hard-working staff at CalMac are doing their very best, but they have been let down by a chaotic SNP Government that broke its promise to build new ferries on time and on budget. 'Islanders are now stuck with an ageing fleet that's constantly breaking down and causing havoc. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The Scottish Government are treating my constituents along the west coast like second-class citizens. I have spoken to so many islanders who don't have any faith in the government's ability to deliver for them.' 'Significant disruption' A CalMac spokesperson said: "We have shared a vessel deployment plan for the last few weeks of our summer timetable with communities on our network. 'This plan meets projected demand on all routes and has been designed to provide people with certainty of service levels during what we acknowledge is a period of significant disruption.
The National
15-07-2025
- Business
- The National
CalMac ferry from Arran to Ardrossan to stop after brief resumption
The MV Isle of Arran took over the route between the mainland and Brodick last week as a result of the continued issues facing the MV Caledonian Isles – which has been out of service since last January. [[Ardrossan]] in North Ayrshire has long been the main port for sailings to Arran, but the newest addition to the [[CalMac]] fleet – the long awaited Glen Sannox – is too big to berth at the privately-owned dock, forcing sailings to move down the coast to Troon, South [[Ayr]]shire. READ MORE: CalMac looking to recover repair costs for MV Caledonian Isles As a result of the lay-off of the Caledonian Isles, the MV Alfred – a Pentland Ferries catamaran – was chartered as a second vessel on the Troon to Brodick route. From July 24, the Isle of Arran will return to serve Islay, leaving Ardrossan without a ferry to serve the island again for an indefinite period. The Alfred will run alongside the Glen Sannox as the operator continues to wait for its sister ship the Glen Rosa – which is also being built at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow. More disruption will be likely in early September, as the terminal at Troon closes for maintenance for a week. Concerns have been raised among the communities on Arran and in Ardrossan about the potential permanent loss of the town as the main gateway to Arran, given both the new vessels are too big to dock there. The port is owned privately by Peel Ports, but the Scottish Government has said it is exploring the potential purchase of the asset to make necessary improvements that would allow the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa to continue serving the island from [[Ardrossan]]. (Image: Andrew Milligan) CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison (above) said: 'This plan has been carefully worked out so that services to island communities can be optimised with the vessels available to us. 'This phase of deployment will see many routes revert to their original summer plans, with South Uist's regular vessel returning, MV Isle of Mull adding capacity to Mull, and the return of a two-vessel service on Mallaig-Armadale. 'We do appreciate there remains a level of disruption, particularly with the continued absence of MV Caledonian Isles, and we are already looking at how we minimise the impact of that disruption for the remainder of the summer timetable.' With the [[Isle of Arran]] returning to Islay, the MV Lord of the Isles will return to the Western Isles, allowing the MV Isle of Mull to operate between Oban, Argyll, and Mull, while the MV Loch Fyne will be able to move back to cover the route between Skye and the mainland.
STV News
15-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
Ardrossan to Arran ferry sailings to cease again later this month
Ferry sailings between Ardrossan and Arran will cease again later this month, operator CalMac has said. The MV Isle of Arran took over the route between the mainland and Brodick last week as a result of the continued issues facing the MV Caledonian Isles – which has been out of service since last January. Ardrossan in North Ayrshire has long been the main port for sailings to Arran, but the newest addition to the CalMac fleet – the long-awaited Glen Sannox – is too big to berth at the privately-owned dock, forcing sailings to move down the coast to Troon, South Ayrshire. As a result of the lay-off of the Caledonian Isles, the MV Alfred – a Pentland Ferries catamaran – was chartered as a second vessel on the Troon to Brodick route. From July 24, the Isle of Arran will return to serve Islay, leaving Ardrossan without a ferry to serve the island again for an indefinite period. The Alfred will run alongside the Glen Sannox as the operator continues to wait for its sister ship the Glen Rosa – which is also being built at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow. More disruption will be likely in early September, as the terminal at Troon closes for maintenance for a week. Concerns have been raised among the communities on Arran and in Ardrossan about the potential permanent loss of the town as the main gateway to Arran, given that both the new vessels are too big to dock there. The port is owned privately by Peel Ports, but the Scottish Government has said it is exploring the potential purchase of the asset to make necessary improvements that would allow the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa to continue serving the island from Ardrossan. CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison said: 'This plan has been carefully worked out so that services to island communities can be optimised with the vessels available to us. 'This phase of deployment will see many routes revert to their original summer plans, with South Uist's regular vessel returning, MV Isle of Mull adding capacity to Mull, and the return of a two-vessel service on Mallaig-Armadale. 'We do appreciate there remains a level of disruption, particularly with the continued absence of MV Caledonian Isles, and we are already looking at how we minimise the impact of that disruption for the remainder of the summer timetable.' With the Isle of Arran returning to Islay, the MV Lord of the Isles will return to the Western Isles, allowing the MV Isle of Mull to operate between Oban, Argyll, and Mull, while the MV Loch Fyne will be able to move back to cover the route between Skye and the mainland. 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
STV News
03-06-2025
- 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 National
03-06-2025
- Business
- The National
CalMac confirms return date for MV Caledonian Isles ferry
The ferry company confirmed on Tuesday that the vessel - which has been out of action since January 2024 when it went in for its annual service - will now return on Thursday, June 12. Until Tuesday, the ageing vessel had been expected back on June 9. The ferry has been undergoing extensive repairs for a year and a half but will enter dry dock this week for the final stages of work. Following a phased return, she will pick up full service of five returns a day from Ardrossan on Saturday, June 14 except Fridays (six returns) and Sundays (four returns). READ MORE: Irish pro-Palestine activist 'faces jail' after being detained by Israeli police 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. CalMac has also agreed with Pentland Ferries that the current charter for the Alfred has been extended until the end of October, with details of her deployment being confirmed as soon as possible. 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.' Ardrossan Harbour has been left without any ferry service to Arran since January this year, when the MV Isle of Arran was redeployed.
