Work on Stornoway new ferry pier will continue this month even though the new MV Loch Seaforth is undertaking berthing trials.
Number three pier has been infill and strengthened with new stronger fenders to handle robust berthing from the longer ferry, MV Loch Seaforth.
With the last set of bollards due to be installed today, the vessel will commence docking trials.
However, work on the top deck of the pier is ongoing.
The MV Loch Seaforth will not immediately commence commercial voyages but will be
phased-
A Cal Mac spokesperson explained: “Once No.3 pier at Stornoway becomes operationally
available to us, the MV Loch Seaforth will undertake a two week service commissioning
programme that will, initially, take the form of a week of Stornoway-
“On completion of this work, she will then undertake
a graduated entry in to service which will see the vessel follow the round the clock
timetable and will include the carriage of cars / lights goods vehicle and passengers
on a number of dedicated return services along with a number of dedicated overnight
freight runs in order to fully test all standard operating procedures.
“Once this has been completed to the satisfaction of the company and the masters
and port managers, the MV Loch Seaforth will then be in a position to enter full
service.”
New ferry to be eased into action over a fortnight
3 February 2015