Exclusive:Caledonian Isles: CalMac confirms ferry to return to service next week after 20 months of repairs
CalMac has provided a major updated on the 1,000-passenger ferry Caledonian Isles.
A 1,000-passenger ferry that has been out of action for an unprecedented 20 months is set to return to service next week in a major boost for islanders.
Operator CalMac has confirmed it is planning for the Caledonian Isles to return to service on Wednesday.
The long-awaited resumption follows a series of major repairs on the vessel in Birkenhead, Greenock and Leith, and will restore regular services between Ardrossan and Brodick, on the Isle of Arran.
In an update issued to the Arran Ferry Committee on Friday, CalMac said Caledonian Isles was expected to be fully certified by the end of the day, meaning it had achieved the necessary approvals needed to resume passenger service.
The update said: “However, the crew still require time to complete berthing trials and will do this tomorrow. The vessel would, therefore, have been ready to resume service from Sunday.
“Repair work is currently being carried out on Ardrossan linkspan and we have been advised it may be Wednesday before we will be able to use the linkspan. This means we are planning for the vessel to return to service on Wednesday, October 1.
“The vessel will carry out a phased return to full service to allow crew and port staff to refamiliarise themselves with passenger operations. Details on this will be shared early next week.”
The ferry returned to the Clyde from Leith on Monday following three days of sea trials on the east coast. Berthing trials and crew familiarisation work had been due to continue from Ardrossan until Friday.
The vessel will resume sailings to Brodick on Arran, supplementing the longer Troon-Brodick route served by Glen Sannox, CalMac’s newest ferry, which is too big to fit Ardrossan harbour, because it has still to be upgraded.
Ardrossan is preferred by many passengers because of the port’s direct rail connection to Glasgow, and the shorter sailing time.
The 1,000-passenger ferry, which was built in 1993, has been out of action since its month-long annual maintenance in January last year.
Steelwork in poor condition was found in parts of its hull, with the work at Cammell Laird on Merseyside extended several times because of access difficulties, which led to the engines having to be removed.
Then, days before Caledonian Isles was due back in service in October last year, CalMac announced a further delay because of a gearbox problem.
The vessel’s metal frames in its bowels were later found to have been bent out of shape, with those repairs extending to March, then May, then June and then September, with additional problems being found. Some parts had to be sent to Denmark for checks.
The latest work, involving the propellers, was completed in a dry dock in Leith on September 17, with repairs to the ferry now totalling at least £11.6 million.
CalMac is seeking millions of pounds of compensation from Cammell Laird over the deformation of the hull.
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