A leaked dossier has suggested the process of awarding a 97m Scottish ferries contract may have been rigged. We're reminded of the stushie surrounding Dr Mills's 1999 appointment, and that Mr Sinclair used to run Ailsa Shipbuilding at Troon - ''main supplier of ferries for CalMac''; the company folded shortly after he assumed his Gourock post. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Last year the Scottish government promised 580m of investment in Scotland's ferry network over the next five years - about half of it for new ships - but some claim, given the scale of the problem, that's nowhere near enough. "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. 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. The latest ferry route lockdown has sparked serious concerns about islands getting the essentials - with some islands, particularly South Uist reliant on a daily lorry crossing to supply shops. These can be moved up and down to their deployed or stowed positions. They remain in close local contact with communities and hauliers and are working with them to prioritise the movement of essential supplies. 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. 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. Nor are we advised of Professor Kay's expertise in maritime affairs, but his obscurity is such that he enjoys no entry in Who's Who in Scotland. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Anger as new lifeline CalMac ferry is half the size of vessel sunk It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse. As the third-largest vessel in the fleet, she brought new levels of capacity and passenger comfort to the routes. 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. It's getting worse every year and they are building only one new ferry. He later told MSPs that the Auditor General had been asked to investigate. It follows the Scottish Government's transport minister Jenny Gilruth warning it will be financially challenging" to fix Scotland's ferry shortage by the end of the decade. One design was eliminated because it was considered overpowered. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. 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. CalMac recruits from the breadth of the western seaboard. It added that some staff employed at the time had now left. That came after there was an outcry when MV Hebridean Isles was sent from its normal Islay route to assist when the safety issues surfaced for a second time the previous week. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. They have red funnels with black caps that display the Lion Rampant badge with masts in buff. But those "green" claims are questionable - LNG is still a fossil fuel, and it has to be imported from Qatar before being driven hundreds of miles from Kent to Scotland. The current chief executive of CMAL, Kevin Hobbs, declined to be interviewed and when confronted by BBC Disclosure about the findings, made no comment. Vessels are owned by the asset holding company Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which is in turn wholly owned by the Scottish Government. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. The West Highland ferry network must operate as one, to allow cross-subsidy of routes and a fleet large enough to cover for breakdown and overhaul. MVIsle of Mull, 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. 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. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can CalMac initially announced a provisional return date of 28th February, but this was later pushed back to 31st March. Her vehicle deck can accommodate up to 14 cars, but is empty on most sailings due to the lack of roads and vehicle restrictions on the Small Isles. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Now and again we're reminded. A Norwegian ferry operator has taken delivery of a boat powered by liquid hydrogen - but this is still prototype technology. MVLoch Portain, MVLoch Buie and MVLoch Shira also have a lounge above the car deck. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Teaching strikes reprieve in doubt as union blasts 14% pay rise as 'paltry'. 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. CalMac's oldest is the Isle of Cumbrae which is 47-years old. She is instead used mostly for goods and vital equipment for the islands. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. [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. The documentary learned that last November union representatives told Finance Secretary Kate Forbes they had lost confidence in the senior management team. Why the facts sink this bizarre CalMac attack | HeraldScotland On Friday it emerged the government faces a 5million bill after losing a High Court case related to takeover of Ferguson's. Meanwhile, a contract to deliver MV Glen Sannox and a sister ferry in 2018 won't now be completed until 2023 with costs doubling to 200million. Catalog; For You; Scottish Daily Mail. . Read about our approach to external linking. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ferguson Marine ferries for CalMac delayed by another eight months to 2023 BBC. Exclusive: Scottish Labour blasted the Scottish Government for their inaction in trying to get rid of dangerous Grenfell-styling cladding on buildings across the country. Also on this level are the four enclosed lifeboats 2 larger and 2 smaller boats mounted on davits. The CalMac ferry scandal - is it more than SNP incompetence? When MVGlen Sannox enters service in 2023,[2][3][4] Caledonian Isles is expected to become the second vessel on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry crossing. Travel company https://www.youtube.com/user/CalMacFerriesLtd John Kerr, a former CalMac technical director who was asked to review some of the leaked documents, was surprised Ferguson was then allowed to submit a revised, far lighter design after the tender deadline, describing it as effectively "a new bid". A few ships are knocking on a bit. An investigation found a failure to replace piston screws during scheduled maintenance may have been to blame. 'For god's sake do something': Food rationing fury as islanders blame CalMac ferry cancellations. Descubr lo que tu empresa podra llegar a alcanzar. CMAL had used the same firm to help draft the tender pack which went to bidders, but has previously told MSPs it saw nothing problematic in this. She measures 50m (164ft 1in) long by 14.5m (47ft 7in) metres wide. Like them, CalMac provides essential services no host of cherry-pickers could equal. There are three main shops, one on South Uist, one in Benbecula and one on North Uist. The Marine and Coastguard Agency said it has begun a preliminary investigation into the lashings of the vehicles on board the ferry. He said he had no knowledge of being given special treatment for the larger ferries but accepted that having CalMac's requirements document was an advantage. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. 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. Remarkably, neither the Scotsman's esteemed Highlands & Islands correspondent, John Ross, nor their transport correspondent, Alastair Dalton, appears to have contributed to the article. For the new Islay ferries, CMAL has ditched LNG in favour of mainly diesel ships with "fuel efficient hulls" and some electric power options while manoeuvring in port. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Caledonian Isles started operating from the new Brodick ferry terminal later that day. . If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can The Mull and Iona Ferry Committee has urged Transport Scotland to buy MV Pentalina. Never miss the latest top headlines from the Scottish Daily Express. She is the smallest vessel in the fleet. "Our dedicated frontline staff will continue to work with local communities to understand and support their priorities. The documents indicate that no other bidder was given a similar opportunity to revise its submission so significantly. The government then appointed a "turnaround director", Tim Hair, who reported it would cost an extra 110m to finish the vessels. But the project has been beset by problems and the yard has been nationalised after going back into administration. The boost in numbers is good news for the islands in many ways but locals often complain of trouble getting a booking. "There is no milk produced locally. A new ferries plan is being promised by the Scottish government by the end of this year. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? The next deck up has the forward observation lounge at the bow and crew accommodation. 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. During the period of the summer timetable there is an additional sailing on Friday evenings, leaving Ardrossan at 2030, returning from Brodick at 2140. There is no standard over 60s ticket, but there are concessions available for islanders in certain areas. 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. The passenger accommodation is similar to that onboard the Mull ship. During the summer 2012 period, the capacity was limited to 12 passengers for HGV drivers during the week, whilst a full passenger service was provided on Saturdays. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. [1] She normally undertakes up to 5 crossings a day in each direction, leaving Ardrossan at 0700, 0945, 1230, 1515 and 1800, and leaving Brodick at 0820, 1105, 1355, 1640 and 1920. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Please contact the server administrator at At 30.2m (99ft 1in) in length, they can carry 12 cars and 200 passengers. For god's sake do something will you, CalMac. Were this one man's ravings, it might matter little. The new offer will see teachers getting a 12.3% increase by April 2023 and it will rise to 14% by 2024. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. Yet it is false to say that ''not one of Caledonian MacBrayne's 29 vessels'' makes a profit. It means that Glen Sannox will now be five years late and will not see service till between March and May 2023 at the earliest, while Hull 802 is not due to set sail till between October and December 2023. It's suggested the timing was just right to coincide with King Charles' controversial meeting with EU leader Ursula von der Leyen. We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse. Do ferry companies have to refund? - gbmov.dixiesewing.com The last sailing from the old Brodick pier was the 0820 to Ardrossan on Tuesday 20 March 2018. Outer Hebrides Tourism, the industry-led group expressed was "dismayed and angry" that there is no end to the ferry crisis causing "extremely serious issue for both tourism and our wider community". In an accompanying feature he pours on the spite. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Nor is there a quote from a member of the Scottish Executive. This caused significant disruption to the Arran service, with all vehicle bookings cancelled and a significant reduction in capacity. The upper deck has the bridge and outside seating from the huge red funnel towards the stern. It's a ''nationalised dinosaur'' succeeding in only one thing - ''getting the taxpayer to fork . The ferry operator is facing frequent issues as it has to constantly repair the aging fleet which is blighted with problems due to the lack of back ups. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. MVIsle of Lewis, 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. Lochnevis has a surprisingly large vehicle ramp, which dominates her appearance. He sent in senior staff to examine business opportunities but felt there were too many issues that needed "tidying up" and waited until it fell into administration. Initially scheduled to return to service on 2nd February,[14] she experienced significant delays during overhaul due to additional steel work and engine repairs being required. Islanders' anger at wider ferry disruption. 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. This change also allowed it to reduce its price by nearly 10m, making it more competitive, CMAL assessors held a "confidential" meeting with Ferguson, the only bidder to receive an in-person meeting. "Completing the essential overhaul schedule and returning vessels to service is our priority, and we thank you for your patience and understanding.". Most are symmetrical when viewed from the side, with no operational bow or stern. Caledonian Isles serves the Isle of Arran on the Ardrossan to Brodick route. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. This peak summer service originally operated between June and August however, due to demand, operates from May to September since 2013. The average age of the CalMac ferries is almost 24 years and many of the large boats are even older. The head of Scotland's state-owned ferry network has admitted the service is getting worse. During the winter season, Caledonian Isles goes for her annual overhaul, and is commonly relieved by MVIsle of Arran, MVClansman or MVHebrides. In April 2015, MVIsle of Arran had problems with her prop shaft which delayed the introduction of her additional Arran summer sailings, leaving Caledonian Isles to carry all the traffic and run additional sailings at night. Our team, 70% of whom live and work locally, truly understand the impact of this disruption. CalMac is the Scottish Government-owned operator of the current eight-year ferry contract, awarded by Transport Scotland after a competition with private sector operator Serco and due to end in. "The shops have been bare. The much delayed MVGlen Sannox is expected to serve Arran from 2022,[2][3][4] replacing MVIsle of Arran and allowing Caledonian Isles to become the second ferry on the Ardrossan-Brodick and the Ardrossan-Campbeltown crossings. The delays have added to pressure on CalMac's old and increasingly unreliable fleet. She is used extensively by day-trippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer. If you run your business the way Calmac operate ferries, you would go bust a long time ago, because the customers will say you don't are.". Additionally, a 500 Internal Server Error 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. CalMac, apparently, runs a ''lucrative monopoly'', threatened by ''up to a dozen rivals who are expected to bid for the state-owned company's network'', according to a ''leading maritime expert'', Professor Neil Kay of Strathclyde University. Another islander Tullula Tia said: "It's shocking. Read about our approach to external linking. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. MVChieftain is a passenger-only vessel leased from Clyde Marine to operate the Gourock to Kilcreggan service since June 2020. The BBC documentary, however, uncovered evidence of a number of irregularities: The Port Glasgow shipyard fell into administration in August 2014, but was bought a week before the independence referendum by Jim McColl, a businessman who sat on First Minister Alex Salmond's council of economic advisers. Documents obtained by BBC Disclosure indicate that successful bidder Ferguson Marine Engineering benefited from preferential treatment. 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. This will be closely monitored, with feedback being obtained directly from island communities and local resilience partnerships providing a more rounded assessment of impact than transport operators alone can provide.". "You cannot get more than one carton of milk in each shop. This has long been fact. 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. . In Denmark, fully-electric ferries are already sailing but only on relatively short routes. 48 hour snow warning for Scotland as Met Office predicts an icy start to spring, Don't put your winter woollies away yet! CalMac's ''monopoly must go'', declared the Wednesday editorial, and its routes would be ''best franchised in separate bundles''. Maybe that is something we should look at as we seem to be isolated from the rest of Scotland. The additional service was provided by MVSaturn from 2005 until 2011, and by MVIsle of Arran from 2012. error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. As it is one of CalMac's busiest routes, Caledonian Isles has the largest passenger capacity in the fleet, and can carry up to 1000 passengers and 110 cars, with a crossing time of 55 minutes. Who are those 12 rival ferry-operators? 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. 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. The fleet can be categorised into various groups. It said that while the Scottish Government must invest in the ferry fleet in the short and long term, it must compensate businesses who have suffered impact from the disruption and build confidence in the Outer Hebrides as a visitor destination "after the negative economic impact of this summer's ferry fiasco". 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. Caledonian Isles has also been relieved by MVIsle of Mull, MVLord of the Isles and MVHebridean Isles. Islanders from Arran to Islay have lodged complaints. The Arran route, where the first ship was due to enter service in 2018, has faced more than 2,500 cancellations . Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Repairs were carried out on the MV Caledonian Isles after an engine failure, The Glen Sannox's construction at Ferguson's shipyard has been troubled, An impression of one of new ferries being built for the Islay route, Privately-run Pentland Ferries has successfully used catamarans to and from Orkney for years, In Denmark, fully-electric ferries are already sailing but only on relatively short routes, Islands like Iona are seeing visitor numbers pick up again, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. We are doing this to improve the experience forour loyalreaders and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. MV Loch Frisa is a former Norled ferry bought by Caledonian MacBrayne in 2021. CMAL may have broken its own rules by allowing Ferguson to go ahead with its bid despite being unable to provide evidence of a builders refund guarantee, a mandatory financial safeguard, Ferguson obtained a 424-page document from a design consultant setting out CalMac's technical requirements, while other bidders had to rely on a more limited 125-page specification. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. Ferry service getting worse admits Calmac boss - BBC News contact the editor here. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. . [5] The second, Hull 802, is as yet unnamed. The server encountered an internal error or MV Hebrides was first removed from service in mid-June due to a problem with its fire-fighting system. The costs for the works is expected to cost around 1.4bn plan but it is estimated to soar with inflation after many years of under-investment. 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. Kerevan does not include in his report quotes from CalMac's managers or officials. Hopelessly Kerevan exposes himself, like Lord Darlington's cynic, as one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Hebridean Isles was scheduled to operate alongside Isle of Arran, however significant technical faults saw her providing a freight-only service between Brodick and Troon, before being withdrawn from service altogether in late February.[15]. Mr Peteranna of the Lochboisdale Ferry Business Impact Group said restrictions on purchase of milk and bread were understandable if people were panic buying because of the ferry issues. She was relieved by Isle of Arran which was often diverted to Wemyss Bay and Gourock. We are doing this to improve the experience forour loyalreaders and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers.