Arrangements for a special ferry sailing to accommodate Uist’s big sheep sale have been thrown into chaos at the last minute.
MV Lord of the Isles service is cancelled again following a near three week outage.
She will not make the pre-arranged special sailing and no relief ship will be sent
to cover the route.
The livestock sale at Lochboisdale is a crucial event for the crofting sector across Uist and a busy day is ahead of the village tomorrow with buyers travelling over to the island mart. Livestock trucks always throng the area on sale day.
CalMac told Hebrides News it has arranged with United Auctions to divert mainland livestock floats for the sheep sale in Lochboisdale to travel on sailings from Uig to Lochmaddy this (Friday) evening.
This may lead to a delay in the schedule being operated by MV Hebrides and a subsequent
knock-on to tomorrow morning’s service but this will be managed later this evening
following normal processes.
MV Lord of the Isles’ return to service is postponed until further notice.
She suffered a fault which affects her starboard engine and is unable return to service
today. The vessel has been out of action after an engine-room fire damaged the same
engine nearly three weeks ago.
Her return to service has been repeatedly delayed. She appears to have lost power on one engine after steaming through the Sound of Islay overnight, making it into Oban on her port engine at reduced speed.
The latest breakdown stems from a failed pipe supplying lubricating oil on the ship’s starboard engine. The repair of this component is critical to the safe operation of the engine.
The new pipe is being transported to Oban this afternoon. A spare pipe is also being sent to the ship incase of a further fault.
The vessel will remain in Oban to continue with repairs and an update is expected later this evening on the progress and potential for the vessel to sail tomorrow morning.
To provide alternative travel, an additional sailing will operate on the Sound of Barra service this evening with Oban port staff offering Lochboisdale traffic the opportunity to travel on MV Isle of Lewis sailing to Castlebay and then onto this connection.
An additional Sound of Barra service will operate tomorrow morning to connect with the MV Isle of Lewis sailing from Castlebay to Oban.
Livestock wagons sent on last minute lengthy detour to make Uist livestock sale after ferry breakdown
23 August 2024
Crofters rely on Lochboisdale livestock sales
