A vessel rejected in 2021 over safety concerns could now be rented to tackle Scotland’s ferry crisis.
CalMac is understood to have filed a request to use the MV Pentalina during the ongoing ferry shortage which has seen numerous cancelled services.
Transport Scotland was urged to buy the ferry last year by passenger groups, but there were concerns over its age and fire safety.
Pentland Ferries, who own the ferry, pulled out of the deal after negotiations broke down.
Harris Development chairman Kenny MacLeod said at a meeting last week with Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth she instructed Transport Scotland to re-open negotiations for a fully crewed lease of the ship.
This came after a discussion about how the Isle of Harris would cope while it has no ferry service for around six months due to Uig harbour being upgraded.
Over the summer, that route has been under increasing pressure as the MV Hebrides, which serves the Skye triangle route, has regularly been out of action due to recurring faults.
Due to the repeated cancellations, businesses on the island have reported a 50% loss of earnings during their busiest time of the year.
What happened last time CalMac considered MV Pentalina?
A deal to rent the MV Pentalina was almost made last year, but fell through at the “eleventh hour”.
The 15-year-old ferry carries out trips for the small independent ferry company Pentland, which operates routes from Gills Bay in Caithness to St Margaret’s Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney.
The company walked away from the Pentalina deal due to the fact that the vessel’s fire safety procedures were not deemed good enough for state-owned CalMac.
Union RMT welcomed the scrapping of the deal. General secretary of the union, Mick Lynch, said at the time: “We strongly believe that a cavalier approach to safety and seafarers’ rights, hallmarks of Pentland Ferries, have no place on Scotland’s lifeline ferry services.”
‘It is time for modern developments’
Mr MacLeod worked on government patrol boats for 10 years and is well-known for his role as Harris Development chairman.
He said: “It would be a huge step forward if they did this as. Apart from providing the urgently required resilience, it would enable us to see the capabilities of this style of vessel that CMAL has consistently dismissed as not suitable.
“I suspect there will be a lot of internal opposition to the fully crewed option too as it will highlight the very expensive crewing model used by CalMac.
“As she is currently fully Maritime and Coastguard Agency compliant, CalMac will find it very difficult to come up with reasons not to take on the lease.
“We are in a crisis situation with our lifeline ferries and it is time for the outdated and expensive styles and operating models to be revised in line with modern developments in vessel designs and operations.”
The MV Pentalina can carry up to 350 passengers and 58 cars. This would make it around the 14th biggest in the CalMac fleet – out of 35 vessels.
Caledonian MacBrayne, usually shortened to CalMac is the UK’s largest ferry operator – operating 29 routes to over 50 destinations.
The company currently employees 1,700 people, making it one of the biggest businesses headquartered in Scotland.
A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said: “The MV Pentalina was considered for possible charter in 2021 but was withdrawn from availability by its owner before the formal agreement was signed.
“We remain open to exploring a charter option should this be reconsidered by the vessel owner. We would of course need to consider the terms and affordability of any arrangement.”
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