Scottish Labour has slammed the Scottish Government over the poor state of CalMac’s ferry fleet after the sudden cancellation of South Uist sailings for most of this week.
Island businesses, particularly within the hospitality sector in Uist, are feeling the financial pain, losing customers who are unable to fulfil their long booked travel plans.
Commenting on Hebrides News’ Facebook page the Lochboisdale Hotel indicated they have received at least ten cancelled bookings so far this week as a result of this latest outage.
The South Uist route is stipulated in the formal contract between the Scottish Government and CalMac Ferries but is treated with significant degrees of flexibility with the vessel regularly withdrawn to cover service gaps elsewhere.
MV Lord of the Isles was launched 36 years ago - though her hull, steelwork and basic
structure are older - and is due for retirement.
Scottish Labour candidate Donald MacKinnon said Uist continues to “bear the brunt of the SNP’s mismanagement" of the ferry service, with the Mallaig to Lochboisdale route without a vessel due to yet more technical issues with the MV Lord of the Isles.
He said: “Once again it is Uist that is suffering from the SNP’s failure to invest in the ferry fleet.
“Approaching the peak of the visitor season, the removal of the MV Lord of the Isles from the route without a replacement is a disaster for the Uist economy.”
The route has only recently regained a full service after many months of disruption.
Mr MacKinnon continued “In April, affected businesses were promised compensation, yet no detail on this has materialised.
“In the meantime, hotel bookings are being cancelled, money is not being spent in island businesses and local residents are without a lifeline service.
“Urgent action is needed to improve resilience in the ferry fleet and provide the service island communities deserve.
“Where is Alasdair Allan in all of this?”
Scottish Labour islands’ spokesperson Rhoda Grant said the cancellations are a “hammer blow” to the people and businesses of South Uist, who have “already suffered through years of SNP ferry chaos.”
“The people of South Uist will be cut off from loved ones, healthcare, work and more, and local businesses will be starved of custom and supplies.
Mrs Grant added: “Scotland’s lifeline ferry fleet has been left to rust by this dysfunctional and incompetent SNP government and these are the consequences.
“We need a real plan to upgrade Scotland’s ferries and give island communities the reliable ferry service they need.
“The SNP’s ferry fiasco has become a symbol of this government’s woeful record of failure – it’s time for a new direction.”
Hebrides News reported yesterday how a 10 millimetre hole was found in the aging MV Lord of the Isles (Loti) which operates out Lochboisdale.
Seawater entered an unused compartment which was pumped dry. The shape of the tank along with proximity to the waterline makes it impossible for the space to entirely flood. The vessel’s stability remained well above legal requirements.
The vessel has been despatched to Kennacraig for inspection and repairs to the affected tank.
No firm date is presently available for the ship to return home. A timetable may
- in a best case scenario - be reinstated by the weekend. However, CalMac is unable
to provide a relief ferry for South Uist as the fleet is heavily overstretched.
► CalMac’s South Uist ferry withdrawn after springing a leak
MV Lord of the Isles only resumed her designated Uist timetable a fortnight ago after an lengthy absence. Since the end of December she was deployed to communities in the Inner Hebrides.
Breakdowns and a shortage of suitable ships coupled with failures in government forward planning and investment has left CalMac struggling with a diminished fleet.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, recently hailed a further six-month
extension of the charter for MV Alfred, which will help to “maintain resilience on
the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network for the rest of the summer and into the winter
months.”
However, the Alfred is unlikely, under current arrangements, to be of any help for Uist even when released from her current duties this weekend when MV Caledonian Isles is finally due to return to Arran after breakdowns and faults lasting 18 months.
Ms Hyslop said the Scottish Government is “committed to improving our lifeline ferry services and better meeting the needs of island communities, with six new vessels currently under construction set to join the fleet by 2026.”
► CalMac’s South Uist ferry withdrawn after springing a leak
SNP under fire from Labour over ‘ferry chaos’
10 June 2025
