First it was Monday … then Wednesday …. now we’ll probably have to wait until next week for the return of the Isle of Mull. Full text of the message from CalMac is below. However, we are hopeful that the Lord of the Isles may be put on the Craignure service, particularly in view of the busy Music Festival weekend coming up.
CalMac’s message:
Unfortunately, MV Hebrides return to service has been delayed after an issue was identified with the vessel’s starboard gearbox during post-overhaul commissioning. The gearbox was overhauled by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) as part of the planned programme of work for MV Hebrides’ drydock and the issue arose during routine run-in testing over the weekend. We are liaising with the OEM on next steps.
With the timescales for repairs currently unknown and to provide certainty to customers, the intention is to extend the current deployment plan until Sunday 26 April.
This is:
· Uig – Tarbert/Lochmaddy: MV Clansman in place of MV Hebrides
· Oban – Craignure: MV Coruisk & MV Loch Frisa in place of MV Isle of Mull and MV Loch Frisa
· Oban – Coll/Tiree and Oban – Colonsay: MV Isle of Mull in place of MV Clansman
· Mallaig – Armadale: Charter vessels operating in place of MV Coruisk
Repairs to MV Lord of the Isles are expected to complete on Monday 20 April and the vessel is planned to depart Inchgreen on the morning of Tuesday 21 April. Deployment plans for MV Lord of the Isles for 22-25 April will be reviewed based on requirements in the network before she goes to Islay to cover MV Finlaggan’s overhaul from Sunday 26 April. These plans will be shared on Tuesday 21 April.