MVCarvoria is a 12-metre-long (39-foot) vessel used on the Kerrera service. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. But the project has been beset by problems and the yard has been nationalised after going back into administration. She is a spare vessel during the winter months. Why the facts sink this bizarre CalMac attack | HeraldScotland Hopelessly Kerevan exposes himself, like Lord Darlington's cynic, as one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. However, the BBC has learned that two expert reports submitted during the tender process did not support that evaluation. As for uncomfortable ships, we must assume Kerevan has never boarded any of the ''mini-liners'' CalMac have built since the late eighties - our own new Hebrides is a splendid example. 2023 BBC. With reports that some had taken to sleeping in cars because of the ferry meltdown, the North Uist Agricultural Show organisers circulated news on Tuesday that the Hosta Hall would be left open till 7pm for anyone who needs somewhere to shelter. Ferry passengers petrified in 15-hour storm nightmare "The Outer Hebrides is in real risk of being a destination visitors may avoid because of ferry unreliability, indeed we are seeing a drop in visitor numbers already.". CalMac's European problem is scarcely news, and for the assertion that the company - or future private operators - have been promised a public-money honeypot of a third of a billion pounds, Kerevan tenders no evidence whatever. Maybe that is something we should look at as we seem to be isolated from the rest of Scotland. The Aberdeen youth product is training with the under-21s after falling out-of-favour on Tyneside. Forward of the main entrance square is the cafeteria, with stairways leading up to the observation lounge and the outside deck. She was relieved by Isle of Arran which was often diverted to Wemyss Bay and Gourock. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Since the SNP took power in 2007, the rate at which new vessels are produced has more than halved. We will continue to prioritise urgent deliveries and return the service to full timetable as quickly as we can.". [citation needed], On first coming into service, Caledonian Isles usually berthed overnight at Ardrossan in the summer and at Brodick in the winter timetable. Others have already leapt upon Kerevan's vagueness. Ministers are also currently considering Project Neptune - a review by consultants looking at the roles of Transport Scotland, CalMac and CMAL - to try to make the system work better. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Edward Mountain, who was convener of a Holyrood committee that looked into the ferries scandal two years ago, told the programme he had "real concerns" that MSPs "haven't been told the whole truth about what happened in this procurement process". She was relieved by MVHebridean Isles, thereby causing knock-on cancellations to services to South Uist, where the latter vessel was due to relieve next. MVFinlaggan and MVHebridean Isles serve Islay from Kennacraig. A Norwegian ferry operator has taken delivery of a boat powered by liquid hydrogen - but this is still prototype technology. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Something needs to change.". in the server error log. MV Caledonian Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Eileanan Chaledonia) is one of the largest ships owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited.She is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which runs ferries to the Hebridean and Clyde Islands of Scotland. Jim McColl confirmed to BBC Disclosure that he first looked into buying Fergusons at least two months before it went bust. The Loch class are a group of smaller vessels with a single car deck, running the length of the ship, with a ramp at each end. For the latest politics news, click here. He has been contacted for comment. Kerevan does not include in his report quotes from CalMac's managers or officials. There are three main shops, one on South Uist, one in Benbecula and one on North Uist. "We will be looking at the substance of the allegations raised around procurement by the programme before deciding whether further audit work is required," it said. I have a baby who is now on cows milk but Im only able to do my shopping once a week due to having three kids on my own while my partner works. She said Glen Sannox, for the main Arran route . The issues have meant that other ferries such as MV Hebrides have had overhauls delayed until March 20 to cover for MV Clansman which suffered a starboard main engine failure after sea trials over a technical issue. He said: "With hindsight, it put us in a very strong position, because we were responding to what CalMac were looking for, and not what CMAL had put out to the other yards. During this period, MVLoch Riddon operated additional services from Claonaig to Lochranza. 2023 BBC. US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78. A Gannett Company. GMB union convener John McMunagle said the concerns were raised at board meetings, where they highlighted that there were "managers everywhere" - but they could not get steelworkers. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Caledonian Isles serves the Isle of Arran on the Ardrossan to Brodick route. MV Loch Frisa is a former Norled ferry bought by Caledonian MacBrayne in 2021. These vessels usually operate on longer crossings, with high passenger numbers. Having ship-based crews, it says, provides more robust staffing. There is no standard over 60s ticket, but there are concessions available for islanders in certain areas. CalMac's main Arran ferry resumes sailings. MVCaledonian Isles, We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories. MVHebrides crosses The Minch from Uig, Skye, while MVIsle of Mull, MVIsle of Lewis and MVClansman are based in Oban, serving Mull, Coll, Colonsay, Tiree and the Outer Hebrides. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . As it is one of CalMac's busiest routes, Caledonian Isles has the . CalMac recruits from the breadth of the western seaboard. Another islander Tullula Tia said: "It's shocking. One of the dilemmas facing Scotland's ferry network is that it needs to commit to new ships now that could be in service for decades - yet it is still unclear which future technology will win out. Never miss the latest top headlines from the Scottish Daily Express. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, a system used for the Danish island of Samso, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78. The ferry operator said the Inner Hebrides' MV Clansman and Islay's MV Hebridean Isles are out of action due to technical problems and delays have delayed the return of Arran's MV Caledonian Isles from its annual overhaul as the ship has been in dry dock since 9 January. Isle of Arran undertook services from Ardrossan to Campbeltown on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, returning on Friday, Saturday (via Brodick) and Sunday, whilst still operating from Ardrossan to Arran outwith its Campbeltown sailings. This happened on 4 January 2012, following storm damage to the linkspan at Ardrossan.[6]. There are presently ten vessels over 80 metres (260 feet) in length in the CalMac fleet: MVLord of the Isles, We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories. MVIsle of Mull, They vary in length from 30.2 to 54.27m (99ft 1in to 178ft 1in). It said its board had voiced concerns to Transport Scotland about the contract award to Fergusons, particularly in relation to the lack of refund guarantees, which were well-documented. She is a bow loading vessel of similar design to the Island Class vessels and can take twelve passengers and one car, although due to vehicle restrictions on Kerrera she rarely carries cars. [11] From 30 June 2011, the Gourock - Dunoon service was awarded on a passenger-only basis to the newly formed David MacBrayne Ltd subsidiary Argyll Ferries. CalMac warns of further disruption to ferry service due to lack of backup ferries, Scottish lags misuse 4.1million taxpayer-funded mobile phones more than 7,000 times in three years, More than 4,082 inmates have been caught out for using mobile phones paid for by the taxpayers to commit crimes while in prison, Iconic Glasgow bakery Mortons Rolls 'ceases all trading' after 58 years. At least three runs - Stornoway, Craignure, and Brodick - are notionally profitable. No prominent backers appear for Ash Regan despite claims endorsements would arrive this week. Jim McColl believes the ferries will cost at least 300m and ferry expert Roy Pederson says it would be better to scrap them and start again. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. In an accompanying feature he pours on the spite. [13], Caledonian Isles departed for annual overhaul in early January 2023. Highland Seabird, despite carrying 60,000 passengers in a season, proved utterly uneconomic. CalMac said it was down to strong winds. Caledonian Isles has only ever operated between Ardrossan and Brodick on Arran. Documents obtained by BBC Disclosure indicate that successful bidder Ferguson Marine Engineering benefited from preferential treatment. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. More: Kerevan and his paper attack not a company, but a community. Editors' Code of Practice. The cost to the public purse has risen to 2.5 times the original 97m budget - and the first ship won't be handed over to CalMac until the spring of 2023 at the earliest, nearly five years late. The delays have added to pressure on CalMac's old and increasingly unreliable fleet. It's getting worse every year and they are building only one new ferry. Talent like Captains Gunn or Morrison of the Hebrides, or chief engineer MacLennan of the Caledonian Isles, is not readily found nor lightly bought. It would be interesting to see Kerevan's obsession with the profit-motive applied, say, to the police, or our prisons, or the armed forces. CalMac, the state-owned ferry company, has decided motorhomes, camper vans and caravans will only be allowed on their services if they have a confirmed reservation, in a bid to placate. Residents on Mull have urged Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth to consider a system used for the Danish island of Samso where are proportion of spaces are held back for locals, based on evidence of demand. Read about our approach to external linking. A few ships are knocking on a bit. Insight: Future of CalMac ferry service under scrutiny as islanders But CalMac has a problem - the pace of renewal has been slow and the ageing boats are developing more faults, leading to delays and cancellations. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. Representatives told the programme they became increasingly worried about the growing number of managers being taken on, which they felt undermined long-term competitiveness, with little evidence of progress. CalMac initially announced a provisional return date of 28th February, but this was later pushed back to 31st March. It's untrue that Ailsa of Troon supplied most CalMac ferries - of the present operational fleet, Ferguson's of Port Glasgow constructed seven; Lamont's, six, Richard Dunstan (Hessle) four, and Ailsa only three. In 2019, the shipyard went back into administration and was nationalised after ministers rejected a last-ditch offer from Mr McColl to split the cost of completing the two ferries, claiming this would breach EU state aid rules. Kerevan quotes Captain Norman Martin's testimony to the Scottish Parliament's transport committee, but neglects to explain the context to Martin's seemingly damning remarks on company profit motive: he was outlining the huge burden on CalMac's resources imposed by new, ferocious Maritime and Coastguard. What's gone wrong with CalMac's new ferries? - BBC News A Transport Scotland spokesman said: CalMac forms part of the local resilience partnership. [19] This allows her to berth a considerable distance from slipways, protecting her exposed Azipod propulsion systems in shallow waters. "CalMac need to sort this out because soon enough it will force people to want to leave the islands which is not what the islands are wanting.". A band of rain, sleet and snow is expected to move south during Monday followed by frequent snow and hail showers, Ken Bruce leaves BBC with veiled jibe after they ended his show early over concerns was free advertising for a rival, The 72-year-old Glaswegian left Radio to join Greatest Hits Radio in April after the Beeb told him to step down 17 days early, Teaching strikes held off as union on brink of striking pay deal. Anger as new lifeline CalMac ferry is half the size of vessel sunk Back in 2012, a ferries plan included a programme of vessel replacement. The boost in numbers is good news for the islands in many ways but locals often complain of trouble getting a booking. The deal to build two new CalMac ferries for Arran and the Hebrides has run into serious trouble. has a calmac ferry ever sunk. The past two years have seen a significant drop in numbers due to Covid restrictions but the ferry network is once again struggling to cope. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. When closed, the bow ramp seals the car deck and when open, forms the bridge between the ship and the linkspan. The following month it was announced that Mr Hair was moving on. CalMac's ''monopoly must go'', declared the Wednesday editorial, and its routes would be ''best franchised in separate bundles''. Do ferry companies have to refund? - gbmov.dixiesewing.com The former SNP Westminster leader claimed he had not spoken to Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell about the Police Scotland probe into the party's 'missing' 600k. He later told MSPs that the Auditor General had been asked to investigate. has a calmac ferry ever sunk. Duncan Hamilton, SNP list MSP for the Highlands and Islands, is quoted to dismiss Mr Sinclair's track-record. "We have a senior manager from Scottish Water over visiting projects we are working on and struggling to believe this this kind of thing happens in this day and age," he said. "You cannot get more than one carton of milk in each shop. CalMac has warned of further disruption to its ferry services caused by a lack of backup vessels after three of its ten main ships are out of action till at least mid-March due to technical problems. [16], MVArgyll Flyer (244 passengers) and the catamaran MVAli Cat (250 passengers) are passenger-only ferries used on the Gourock - Dunoon service. [9], On 16 March 2019 Caledonian Isles rammed the pier at Brodick after her bow thrusters failed, causing significant damage to her bow visor. Who are those 12 rival ferry-operators? "It is the milk and the dairy stuff that is the priority. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The two ferries are still being built for CalMac, but will be at least 150m over budget and five years late. . "Toilets, kettle and microwave are available to use," they said. He said: "It is material that I take seriously, about which I have concerns, which raises fundamental issues for me about the fairness and the appropriateness of the tender process.". heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. and the actions you performed just before this error. Deputy First Minister John Swinney has pledged to look into the new evidence. Ferguson Marine ferries for CalMac delayed by another eight months to CMAL confirmed that an in-person meeting for the purposes of clarification did take place at the shipyard on 4 June, but said it believed this was normal and appropriate. Nor does Kerevan tell us CalMac has been long forbidden freely to compete on the Dunoon route. In the past, the journalists job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Even the newer ships have had breakdowns - CalMac's biggest ship MV Loch Seaforth, built in 2014, was out of action for weeks last year due to engine damage, with knock-on effects hitting many other services. On Friday 22nd April, CalMac announced that Caledonian Isles would remain out of service for at least three weeks whilst undergoing repairs in Troon. A 105m order for the next two big ships - for the Islay route - has now been signed with a Turkish shipyard and, if all goes to plan, they should be delivered in 2024/2025. Glen Sannox floated high in the water after it was launched in 2017 because so much equipment had yet to be fitted, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. And he said it may be that the island will have to look at producing milk locally. CalMac says its maintenance budget has risen by 67% over the past five years, with a projected spend of 34.2m in 2022. Scandal-hit Ferguson Marine faces being dissolved despite millions of taxpayer money being ploughed into it, Caledonian Sleeper to be nationalised as Scottish Government accused of throwing taxpayers' money away, Cap on Scottish council fatcat wage rises lifted despite council tax hikes and severe cuts, SNP civil war turns more toxic as leading Sturgeon loyalist blasts Ash Regan as 'looking like an opposition politician', Moaning CMAL blame media reports about ferry fiasco for poor reputation as 'amateur' shipbuilders, CalMac claim unbundling ferry routes would not bring value to taxpayer despite massive bill for new ferries, Scots island community demands change as ferry fiasco delays hit locals hard, Lawyer to investigate whether 97m Calmac ferry contracts were 'rigged', Islanders face ANOTHER ferry fiasco as MV Caledonian Isles and MV Clansman overhauls delayed, Met Police in London urged to investigate the SNP's Covid 'crime of the century', Campaigners believe longstanding failures in the Scottish healthcare regulation were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, leading to up to 30,000 avoidable deaths and they won't stop until they get justice, Prince Harry feels 'stuck' with Meghan Markle in America as biographer claims he wants them to come home, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit the UK in 2020 but observers reckon the move has not worked out for them, Tax authorities 'destroyed' Rangers, former chairman Charles Green tells court, Green also spoke of his dislike for Craig Whyte, telling the court 'if we had a collection in this court we would have more money from that than Craig Whyte would ever have', Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell's joint bank account is key to resignation, says Private Eye, The outgoing SNP leader and her chief executive husband are urged to answer the question about whether or not they have a joint bank account, as the magazine says Operation Branchform was the 'game-changer' behind shock resignation, Nicola Sturgeon's tax returns reveal gold-plated 460k pension since she became First Minister, The Nats leader promised to publish her tax returns every year in 2016 and then promptly forgot all about it until today. A key section of its bid was mostly cut-and-pasted from this longer document. [12], In April 2022, Caledonian Isles suffered a port engine failure and struck the breakwater. tony bloom starlizard. We prioritise food supplies and nothing has been left on the mainland. [5] The second, Hull 802, is as yet unnamed. The fantasy of El Cheapo Highland shipping operations was blown, surely, by the debacle of Orkney Ferries in 1989. [1] The largest and newest, MVLoch Shira, is 54.27 by 13.90m (178ft 1in by 45ft 7in) and can carry 32 cars and 250 passengers. [12] Argyll Ferries purchased MVAli Cat and a former Irish boat renamed MVArgyll Flyer to serve the route. The company provides lifeline services to 23 islands off the west coast of Scotland, as well as operating routes in the Firth of Clyde. MVLord of the Isles is based in Mallaig and serves Armadale and South Uist. As the third-largest vessel in the fleet, she brought new levels of capacity and passenger comfort to the routes. The same has happend some (or many) years ago in fog with a freighter connected with 2 One design was eliminated because it was considered overpowered. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. But two days later, CalMac decided to reshuffle its pack by moving MV Isle of Mull from the Oban to Craignure on Mull route - one of the busiest - leaving Mull served by the much smaller MV Coruisk. Humza Yousaf 'should be anti-nationalist choice' for First Minister - because he's so useless, The Majority reckons the health secretary will create a 'raging bin fire' for the SNP if he gets the keys to Bute House when the party votes on a new leader, Rangers players rated as dominant first half enough to see off Kilmarnock to close gap on Celtic at top. We will continue to do our best to balance demand to capacity however, with no spare vessels and limited deployment options, capacity may be reduced on some routes and in some situations, we may need to prioritise essential bookings. why; as on last Wednesday, our attention was drawn to an astonishing onslaught on ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne. CalMac's chairman Dr Harold Mills and chief executive Lawrie Sinclair are identified for wounding, personal criticism. The engine is currently being repaired, flushed and inspected. [9], From 2002, the service to Dunoon was supplemented by passenger catamaran MVAli Cat, owned by Solent and Wightline Cruises and chartered by CalMac from Red Funnel Line. Caledonian MacBrayne fleet - Wikipedia John Daniel Peteranna of the group, whose South Uist-based renewable energy company supplies wind turbines to make help make homes self-sufficient said: "It is just not sustainable. by the paper's associate editor, George Kerevan, was so dire it seems the hapless Kerevan would be hard-pressed to tell a bowloader from a paddle-steamer. If the mezzanine decks are fully deployed there is insufficient height to accommodate lorries and other high vehicles other than at the bow and stern. The first thing they do is they better buy two cartons of milk, or two two packs of Lurpak. Privately-run Pentland Ferries has successfully used such ships to and from Orkney for years, and has recently replaced MV Pentalina with a new catamaran. The new offer will see teachers getting a 12.3% increase by April 2023 and it will rise to 14% by 2024. MV Caledonian Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Eileanan Chaledonia) is one of the largest ships owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited. Next on the shopping list is a replacement for 33-year-old MV Lord of the Isles, which operates between Mallaig and South Uist - but that's at an early stage and a new ship could be several years away. Ship management accounting is complex, with costs and the intricacies of ship depreciation spread over CalMac operations as a whole. Jim McColl said "with hindsight" having the CalMac document put Ferguson in a strong position. Argyll Flyer was not available for the start of the passenger-only service due to prop shaft problems. The documentary learned that last November union representatives told Finance Secretary Kate Forbes they had lost confidence in the senior management team. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Juno and Jupiter were withdrawn from service in 2010, and by June 2011 Juno had been broken up at Rosneath,[8] meanwhile Jupiter was sold to breakers in Denmark for recycling in that month. She has the capacity for 100 passengers. The Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route is operated by two vessels, built in Poland, MVBute (delivered in spring 2005) and MVArgyle, which entered service in 2007. She is 49.2m (161ft 5in) long, and has capacity for 190 passengers. Back in 2015, the 97m order was seen as a lifeline for Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow - the. 29 April 2022. During the winter season, Caledonian Isles goes for her annual overhaul, and is commonly relieved by MVIsle of Arran, MVClansman or MVHebrides. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. The following year his new firm, Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL), won a 97m contract to build two dual fuel LNG vessels for state-owned ferry operator CalMac. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Residents have complained of food shortages being imposed by local shops with a islanders restricted to just one carton of milk and one loaf of bread during the ferry breakdown. Second-hand ferry deal to boost CalMac network, Plug-in and sail: Meet the electric ferry pioneers, Ferry deal collapses over CalMac use of catamaran, Arran ferry out of action following engine failure, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. She is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which runs ferries to the Hebridean and Clyde Islands of Scotland. On services where capacity is affected, we would encourage those customers who are able to do so, make reservations as foot passengers. [1] She was built for and has run on the Largs to Cumbrae route since 2007. But like the metaphor about the time it takes to turn a tanker around, the problems facing CalMac's fleet are going to take a long time to fix. This has long been fact. In February 2012, Caledonian Isles was in dry-dock to repair damage sustained in a collision with Winton Pier, Ardrossan. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. has a calmac ferry ever sunk - fabriquesat.fr The introduction of heavily-subsidised road equivalent tariffs - aligning fares with the cost of road travel - has increased ferry traffic over the past decade, with 5.7m passengers and nearly 1.5m vehicles being carried in 2019 before the pandemic. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Motorhomes and caravans banned from standby Scottish ferries Islanders from Arran to Islay have lodged complaints. Our team, 70% of whom live and work locally, truly understand the impact of this disruption. That is what Kerevan presents as hard news. More information about this error may be available Please contact the server administrator at Remarkably, neither the Scotsman's esteemed Highlands & Islands correspondent, John Ross, nor their transport correspondent, Alastair Dalton, appears to have contributed to the article. Were this one man's ravings, it might matter little. A procurement law expert told Disclosure claims of unequal treatment of bidders in tender processes can lead to breaches in EU law and potential legal action from unsuccessful bidders.