Serious concerns are being raised about the age of West Coast ferry stock, after the eighth major breakdown in one year.
Technical problems on CalMac routes are constantly under threat due to old ferries on busier-than-ever routes, according to one local politician.
Mull councillor Mary-Jean Devon, a daily ferry commuter, is calling on the Scottish Government to have a total rethink on how it is managing its ferry stock after eight major breakdowns on routes throughout Scotland.
“Would you put your child in a 42-year-old car or a 20-year-old car into the garage? No, you wouldn’t – you would be thinking about buying a new car.”
Ms Devon is referring to the 20-year-old MV Clansman, built in 1998 – but recently spent more than two months out of service and in dry dock.
She said: “CalMac seem to be continuously firefighting because of the age of its fleet. They are powerless to do anything about it – because it doesn’t run the boats it uses on the routes.”
“If you are a real islander and the ferry goes off you just get on with it. But it can make the islands a less reliable place to do business if there is a continuous threat of a ferry breakdown.
“All islanders should be able to trust that there are secure routes and it is only the weather affecting services – not the age of the vessel.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said current issues are “an operational matter for CalMac” but that the company “understands the frustration of the communities” which rely on their ferry services.
He added: “Over £1 billion has been invested in ferry services across the Clyde and Hebrides since 2007. We are continuing to invest in new vessels and ferry infrastructure to renew the fleet.
“Work is also already underway to appraise, and subsequently to deliver on, further improvements to the ferry services to the Western Isles, including the important Ullapool-Stornoway route.”
While CalMac run ferry services, it is CMAL who own the vessels on which the service relies.
A CMAL spokeswoman said: “All vessels in the fleet are safe to use and are certified.
“All vessels are subject to a regular survey and inspection regime by Lloyds Register, the classification society, and the UK Flag State, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
“A ferry should last for around 35 years, although that is dependent to some extent on factors such as operating conditions.
“Currently, the average age of the Clyde and Hebrides fleet is 23 years and we are aiming to bring that under 20 years, working with Calmac and Transport Scotland.
“Ferries are replaced on a case by case basis because they ply different routes and are subject to different operational conditions. When replaced, a vessel is either sold or recycled.”
