CalMac (Caledonian MacBrayne)

ancientdad · Post by **ancientdad** » 25 Oct 2023 19:18

Interesting, Alfred has stopped in Tarbert. I wonder if there is a back up plan to operate Tarbert to Lochmaddy to cover the inter-island traffic while Uig is closed and the Berneray-Leverburgh vessel is crocked. That would leave Hebrides free to concentrate on Lochmaddy to Ullapool which is a lot longer than the usual Uig trip. ( and it would free up the two Lochs, one for full repairs and the other to cover wherever needed.)

tumnus2010 · Post by **tumnus2010** » 26 Oct 2023 18:45

Alfred is back in Stornoway but according to local news sources there her berthing trials were not successful there. Hence the trial at Lochmaddy and Tarbert I guess.

This means Heb Isles will remain on the freight roster until Arrow is available.

Bad news for the Islay folk, who were hoping to have a second vessel available

BenMyChree · Post by **BenMyChree** » 26 Oct 2023 20:31

tumnus2010 wrote: ↑26 Oct 2023 18:45 Alfred is back in Stornoway but according to local news sources there her berthing trials were not successful there. Hence the trial at Lochmaddy and Tarbert I guess.

This means Heb Isles will remain on the freight roster until Arrow is available.

Bad news for the Islay folk, who were hoping to have a second vessel available

Arrow is available. CalMac/CMAL have not Contacted the IoMSP to Charter Her.

tumnus2010 · Post by **tumnus2010** » 26 Oct 2023 22:06

BenMyChree wrote: ↑26 Oct 2023 20:31
tumnus2010 wrote: ↑26 Oct 2023 18:45 Alfred is back in Stornoway but according to local news sources there her berthing trials were not successful there. Hence the trial at Lochmaddy and Tarbert I guess.

This means Heb Isles will remain on the freight roster until Arrow is available.

Bad news for the Islay folk, who were hoping to have a second vessel available

Arrow is available. CalMac/CMAL have not Contacted the IoMSP to Charter Her.

Arrow is apparently coming next week. Calmac wanted to assess if Alfred would be suitable first.
Email from Calmac to Islay Council also confirmed this as they wanted Hebridean Isles back but she is covering until Arrow arrives now. Off to refit after that apparently, although Calmac have not confirmed that yet.

Arrow arriving 3rd November. Hebrides News

ancientdad · Post by **ancientdad** » 28 Oct 2023 09:14

Ah well, it was just a thought - Alfred is now on her way back to Troon. Looking at the weather predictions on the Calmac website it will be interesting to see if the journey is completed in one leg.
BTW - Hebrides is stuck in Lochmaddy with a fouled propeller. Not for the first time by any means!

tumnus2010 · Post by **tumnus2010** » 29 Oct 2023 00:10

Hebrides is now free, thankfully.

Alfred is due to pick up the Arran run and release Caledonian Isles for berthing trials at Islay and Mull.

Hebrides News article

tumnus2010 · Post by **tumnus2010** » 01 Nov 2023 20:05

Arrow now approaching Stornoway, as expected.

tumnus2010 · Post by **tumnus2010** » 04 Nov 2023 18:11

A first for Kennacraig today I expect.

elaine80 · Post by **elaine80** » 06 Nov 2023 12:53

CalMac has extended the lease of Alfred by 6 months.

https://news.stv.tv/highlands-islands/r ... ides-route

ropax · Post by **ropax** » 06 Nov 2023 15:30

Champagner-bottles knocking again in Margaretes Hope office on Orkney... :)

elaine80 · Post by **elaine80** » 06 Nov 2023 18:10

ropax wrote: ↑06 Nov 2023 15:30 Champagner-bottles knocking again in Margaretes Hope office on Orkney... :)

And the Orcadian people are despairing that they are a ship down.

colin · Post by **colin** » 07 Nov 2023 14:01

A million a month ...

tumnus2010 · Post by **tumnus2010** » 10 Nov 2023 15:34

There's disruption on the Arran route today. Caledonian Isles has not left Ardrossan due to technical problems. Catriona is covering other routes, and so Loch Fyne is running shuttle services from Lochranza to Claonaig, with the smaller Loch Striven also mobilised on the same run.

Annoyingly for them, Alfred had left the Clyde to run cover runs between Lochmaddy and Tarbert on North Uist and Harris as the Loch Portain has engine issues and can only sail in favourable conditions.

At this time Calmac's fleet is stretched, with a number of vessels in for refit. Of the larger ferries. Loch Seaforth and Lord of the Isles are both on the Mersey, and Hebridean Isles has gone back to Aberdeen (although this time it's planned). Loch Alainn and Argyle are both in Greenock, and so there is not much spare to cover this.

It currently looks like Alfred's assignment to the Outer Hebrides is being halted for a day or two as the rest of her services today and tomorrow are cancelled, due to redeployment. This presumably means she'll be heading back down to Arran to either cover or bring extra support to that route.

ancientdad · Post by **ancientdad** » 10 Nov 2023 17:04

I feel sorry for CalMac with all the ship problems they have experienced over the past months, someone really has put the hex on the fleet. I doubt they anticipated so many problems during the low season.
Pity they could not have undertaken the annual inspection of Heb. Isles while she was crocked, but I suspect it would have screwed up the Operating Certificate with an expiry date during the High Season.
Loch Seaforth is now back out of dry dock so with any luck she will return to service soon.

Post by **hhvferry** » 11 Nov 2023 10:40

Loch Seaforth in Liverpool's Langton Dock this morning.

: Loch Seaforth 11/11/23

: Loch Seaforth 11/11/23

twbc99 · Post by **twbc99** » 12 Nov 2023 13:56

tumnus2010 wrote: ↑10 Nov 2023 15:34 There's disruption on the Arran route today. Caledonian Isles has not left Ardrossan due to technical problems. Catriona is covering other routes, and so Loch Fyne is running shuttle services from Lochranza to Claonaig, with the smaller Loch Striven also mobilised on the same run.

Annoyingly for them, Alfred had left the Clyde to run cover runs between Lochmaddy and Tarbert on North Uist and Harris as the Loch Portain has engine issues and can only sail in favourable conditions.

At this time Calmac's fleet is stretched, with a number of vessels in for refit. Of the larger ferries. Loch Seaforth and Lord of the Isles are both on the Mersey, and Hebridean Isles has gone back to Aberdeen (although this time it's planned). Loch Alainn and Argyle are both in Greenock, and so there is not much spare to cover this.

It currently looks like Alfred's assignment to the Outer Hebrides is being halted for a day or two as the rest of her services today and tomorrow are cancelled, due to redeployment. This presumably means she'll be heading back down to Arran to either cover or bring extra support to that route.

Alfred is back on the Ardrossan - Brodick run after traveling south yesterday. Cal Isles is also fixed and started service earlier so running as a two ship service this afternoon.