The island of Barra in the Western Isles has been severely hit by the ferry workers’ industrial action.
The island is left without a link to the mainland until Sunday, causing a major financial and logistical headache for the island’s important fishing industry.
At the BarrAtlantic seafood factory at Ardveenish staff were frantically working to rush out many tonnes of scampi, prawns, scallops and fish for UK and continental markets before the departure of the last ferry yesterday.
The shellfish processer – Barra’s biggest private employer – desperately needs to transport live and fresh seafood off the island as soon as possible.
Catches landed by local fishing boats are processed for markets in France, Italy and Spain.
This week’s ferry disruption risks having a devastating long term effect as trade customers may simply source supplies elsewhere and cut ties with Barra for the future.
Factory owner Donald Maclean has been trying to reassure anxious trade customers across Europe.
The ferry dispute has lost the factory a lot of money.
Extra bills for the cold storage of shellfish despatched to the mainland in advance of the disruption are racking up.
Staff are being paid overtime to work late to prepare and pack seafood and to truck it down south.
The company is forced to absorb the financial hit as it cannot afford to pass the extra coast onto their customers.
Mr Maclean said that Barra “depends on the ferry” for food, building and essential supplies as well as tourists coming in, and exports going out.
He is critical of CalMac not providing a better contingency plan for the ferries this week.
He says: “Everything we do relies on the ferry.
Many tourists have been stranded on Barra after dispute hit ferries were cancelled this week.
Meanwhile, the biggest annual event on Barra has been salvaged after CalMac arranged an special overnight sailing to transport runners to the island’s half marathon race, the Barrathon.
However, B&Bs face a raft of cancellations as the majority of competitors were booked to arrive off the Friday ferry.