MV Loch Seaforth set for Christmas voyage

The new £42 million MV Loch Seaforth is provisionally set to arrive in Stornoway around Christmas.

Commercial sailings between Ullapool

and Lewis will start once a series of berthing trials are successful at the redeveloped pier.

Operator Cal Mac will not make any announcement about the ferry start date until it is confirmed the Stornoway pier is ready.

Strengthening works at Stornoway are due to be finished by around the middle of December.

The ever-delayed 7,800 gross tonnaged ship Loch Seaforth should have been handed over in June.

MV Loch Seaforth set for Christmas-time maiden voyage

29 November 2014

However, problems besetting construction work at the pier in Stornoway harbour has prevented her from going into service.

She is presently laid-up on the Clyde until the extension of number three pier is completed.

It is hoped to have the appropriate works ready sometime in December.

Civil engineers faced problems in strengthening the pier to handle robust berthing.

Larger components were required to compensate for the poor quality seabed rock in which a series of new piles have been anchored. They were also required to reinforce the existing structures.

Work was also held up for a period after two workers were injured in a high pressure compressed air explosion. They were hurt when flung off the pier by the the strong blast.

Recent good weather has helped maintain progress though any bad weather in the next three weeks risks pushing back the arrival of the new ferry. Despite 24-hour working, a couple of storms could extend the finish beyond New Year.

Cal Mac and ship owner, CMAL, are preparing an arrival ceremony for when the MV Loch Seaforth - dressed from mast to mast with flags - finally steams into Stornoway harbour.

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