Latest CalMac update – no major vessel for Mull. April 8th 16:00

The rolling crisis continues. Mull is left with the two smallest ships in the major route fleet, in great part because they can’t go anywhere else. Here’s the latest from CalMac:

Following on from yesterday’s update I am writing to you to share more details on vessel deployment and service plans from Thursday 9 April through to Friday 17 April inclusive.

Unfortunately, with the vessels currently available to us, the single vessel MV Coruisk service will have to remain in place up to and including Sunday 12 April.

We had hoped the return of MV Lord of the Isles would allow us to reinstate some sailings at minimum from Oban-Craignure on top of the single-vessel MV Coruisk service. This, combined with the ongoing absence of MV Isle of Arran and numerous other vessels, means MV Isle of Mull is required on Coll, Tiree and Colonsay.

MV Loch Frisa has completed her drydock but needs to carry out planned checks and works in-water before returning to service on Monday 13 April. We are actively pursuing berth availability at Craignure with Argyll & Bute Council which would allow us to operate a two-vessel service with MV Coruisk and MV Loch Frisa from Monday 13 to Friday 17 April inclusive.

Whilst this would be a two-vessel service, I know it is two smaller vessels that do not provide the required capacity for Oban-Craignure at this time of year. I am sorry that we’re unable to provide a larger vessel for the run at this time. This deployment plan is to give you and the community a view of the minimum service level and will be subject to further updates on MV Isle of Arran and MV Lord of the Isles in the coming days.

This is what the network-wide deployment plan looks like from Thursday 9 to Friday 17 April:

Island/Route	Planned deployment at this time	Actual deployment at this time	Change vs planned service
Arran	MV Caledonian Isles MV Glen Sannox	MV Caledonian Isles MV Glen Sannox	As planned
Barra	MV Isle of Lewis	MV Isle of Islay	Timetable as planned, with different vessel
Coll	MV Lord of the Isles	MV Isle of Mull	TT as planned, but with different vessel
Colonsay	MV  Lord of the Isles MV Isle of Islay (Sat) MV Finlaggan (Wed)	MV Isle of Mulll MV Finlaggan Sat Wed & Thu cancelled for w/c 13 April	Reduction in service
Islay	MV Finlaggan MV Isle of Islay	MV Finlaggan MV Alfred	MV Finlaggan operating single-vessel TT, supplemented by MV Alfred
Little Minch (Harris & North Uist)	MV Clansman	MV Clansman	As planned, with TT amended to prioritise North Uist and support South Uist customers
Mull	MV Isle of Mull MV Coruisk (until 9 Apr) then MV Loch Frisa (from 13 April)	MV Coruisk MV Coruisk & MV Loch Frisa (from 13 to 17 April)	Reduced service, planned for two vessels and significant capacity constraints
South Uist	MV Isle of Arran	No vessel available	Service cancelled
Tiree	MV Lord of the Isles	MV Isle of Mull	TT as planned, but with different vessel

Vessels out of service:

MAJOR	ISSUE	ESTIMATED RETURN TO SERVICE
MV Hebrides	None – planned maintenance	Saturday 18 April
MV Isle of Lewis	Extension of planned maintenance for steelwork	By Sunday 31 May
MV Isle of Arran	Need for replacement couplings on bow thruster	To be confirmed later this week
MV Lord of the Isles	Crack on footing of starboard main engine holding down arrangement	To be confirmed later this week
SMALL
MV Loch Frisa	None – planned maintenance	Monday 13 April
MV Loch Portain	None – planned maintenance	Tuesday 12 May
MV Loch Bhrusda	Issue with forward main engine	Repairs – expected to complete Sat
MV Loch Linnhe	Oil leak in the voith unit space	Repairs expected to complete Thursday

I will keep you updated with plans beyond the 17^th as soon as I have any further information.