Efforts to restart a ferry service to South Uist have unravelled again as the ship’s bow door still leaks.
Further attempts at reattaching the MV Lord of The Isles (Loti) bow door seal are required resulting in yet another day of the vessel laying out of action in Oban.
Normal timetable is effectively suspended and there was no word of sending MV Clansman on a relief sailing to the island.
Anticipated sailings earlier this week were cancelled and prospects of the Loti operating
a one-way run to Lochboisdale tomorrow (Friday) afternoon are uncertain.
Tests to determine the leak-proof effectiveness of sealing arrangements will be carried
out in the morning. If successful, the vessel plans to set sail at 3pm giving a 8.20pm
arrival time in Uist said CalMac. No return voyage will take place.
Due to crew availability, CalMac says it is not possible to offer additional connections
to the Castlebay - Oban sailing via the Sound of Barra service.
Friday’s published schedule is out the window and the ship now hopes to resume timetable on Saturday.
Failure to achieve a weathertight fit for the vessel’s bow visor - which is fresh
out of an extended overhaul - prevents her picking up any route.
While repairs are being carried out the ship remains at the lighthouse wharf in Oban to avoid blocking the usual CalMac piers for working ferries.
The ship is now about two weeks behind the stated date for resuming the Lochboisdale
- Mallaig route - a link which has received a poor service over 2024 as the Loti
is often pulled away to other islands.
A CalMac spokesperson said: “During transit to Oban, a leak was identified in way of the bow visor seal, it was however possible for the vessel to continue her transit north and berthed in Oban where CalMac and service contractors attended the vessel to review.
“The repair was assessed on Tuesday and it was confirmed that a section of the bow visor seal was to be replaced.
The initial repair was not successful, and further repairs are required.
“These repairs are ongoing and if successful the vessel will return to service with
a Oban-Lochboisdale on Friday and full service resuming on Saturday.
“Traffic has been diverted to Lochmaddy services and additional sailings are being provided on Sound of Barra to allow connections to the Castlebay service.”
According to CalMac, available capacity for November, and the average available daily
deck space on sailings off Uist from 16-30 November was “45%, and sailings to Uist
were 36%.”
The Loti will only operate her home run for just three weeks before being shifted elsewhere. Assignment of replacement ship to operate a reduced shared service with Barra over January depends upon the progress of CalMac’s drydocking maintenance schedule.
Ferry sailings cancelled over leak
12 December 2024
