Arran ferry facing further 16 week delay in repairs
CalMac is apologising for the impact the MV Caledonian Isles' repair is havin
The MV Caledonian Isles is facing a further delay in essential repairs, as its completion date is pushed back by 16 weeks.
The 31 year old ferry was originally set to be back in action between Ardrossan and Arran last month, before the date was amended to March 1.
CalMac has apologised for the disruption and any “knock-on effect” on the company’s other routes.
The vessel, which has a capacity of 1,000 passengers and 110 cars, needs to have its auxiliary and main engines removed to make room for repairs.
"Concern and frustration"
CalMac’s chief executive, Robbie Drummond, 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.”
The company were informed on Wednesday the vessel needs significant maintenance, following an annual overhaul, at an expected cost of around £5m.
Staff with Scotland’s largest ferry operator have started calculating the impact the missing ferry could have on tourism numbers in the summer.
Mr Drummond warned the ferry is an aging vessel, which has served the route for nearly three decades, so the work required after each annual overhaul is likely to increase.
“We are stretched to the absolute limit”
He added: “Over 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."
Repairs to the ferry operator's ageing fleet caused months of cancellations last summer, sparking anger from islanders.