CalMac lends a hand to help get Corran Ferry moving again

It is hoped the extra support will get vessels moving on the busy ferry crossing again.

By David Mackay

April 11 2023, 1:57 pm

Corran Ferry services were pulled on Wednesday. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson.

CalMac is supplying spare parts to Highland Council in an attempt to get the Corran Ferry back on the water as soon as possible.

The routes main vessel, MV Corran, and relief vessel, the Maid of Glencoul, are both currently out of action due to mechanical issues.

Although the crossing across the Corran Narrows takes just six minutes, it is one of the busiest routes in Scotland.

Warnings were initially issued that it could take “several weeks” for the problems with the council-owned vessels to be repaired.

More map stuff from the Highlands, this time showing the current 42 mile / 1h15m detour to reach Corran because the ferry is broken (500 metres across the Loch, usually) – having a massive impact on journeys west for foreseeable future pic.twitter.com/g85Hojnqn6

— Alasdair Rae (@undertheraedar) April 10, 2023

Now it has been confirmed that CalMac is providing some support to the local authority to get the MV Corran moving to the Ardnamurchan peninsula again.

However, a Highland Council spokeswoman stressed that even with the help an immediate fix is not likely.

She said: “We have been in discussion with CalMac who offered us additional engineering support and they are also helping where they can with spare parts but even with that repairs are likely to take some time to complete.”

Robbie Drummond, chief executive of CalMac, said: “We were asked by Highland Council to help source the parts required to repair MV Corran.

MV Corran on Loch Linnhe. Image: Allan Milligan/ DC Thomson.

“We established that MV Lochaline uses a common Voith propulsion unit, and that we retained a spare Slewing Bearing in our Greenock warehouse. We were able to provide the vital part immediately to support the repairs to MV Corran.

“CalMac has also offered the support of its engineering team should it be required, as well as any further resources or spares necessary to support the repair of the MV Maid of Glencoul’s drive train.

“We are pleased to help Highland Council and will continue to help them in reinstating this vital service.”

Further meetings about the Corran Ferry situation are already under way with an update expected to be issued today.