CalMac is removing MV Lord of the Isles (Loti) to cover a breakdown crisis elsewhere in the fleet, leaving Lochboisdale without its lifeline ferry service.
People with pre-booked tickets for the South Uist - Mallaig link will discover the
route is cancelled for the next week at least. A potential detour via Eriskay and
Castlebay to Oban is not in place.
CalMac warned of “very limited” space on alternative routes.
Passengers who planned to travel today (Wednesday) and tomorrow will be contacted by CalMac.
Withdrawing the Lochboisdale ferry is one piece of a “significant disruption” jigsaw impacting three island communities stemming from a series of breakdowns and faults with Arran ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, which remains unusable for service and has returned to Greenock for further repairs.
Under CalMac’s reshuffle plan, the Loti steams to Oban instead of Mallaig this (Wednesday) morning. She then transfers to the Islay service to allow MV Hebridean Isles to take over the Arran route.
The objective is to release MV Isle of Arran for a vital and extensive six week maintenance and upgrade programme of works to maintain her seaworthiness. Getting her overhaul underway is seen as being urgently imperative as the vessel’s operating licence is due to run out shortly.
Until next Wednesday (2 October) there will no service between Mallaig and Lochboisdale. No date is known for sailings to resume.
CalMac pledged to “review all options” as repairs to MV Caledonian Isles progress.
Mass sailing cancellations as South Uist ferry service axed until further notice
25 September 2024
