Stornoway ferry crashes into pier 28/1/14
A Cal Mac freight ferry suffered serious damage after crashing into a pier this morning
(Tues).
The MV Clipper Ranger is unable to undertake the overnight freight run between Stornoway
and Ullapool as she needs repairs.
It is likely she may have to go to a mainland drydock to replace or fix steel plating
which has been stoved in.
A complete power blackout mean she lost all engine power, generator electricity supply,
rudder, propellor and thrusters while undertaking a critical manoeuvre in berthing
at Stornoway this morning (Tues).
It is understood power cut out before speed could be reduced so the vessel smacked
into the port’s number 1 pier at faster than normal.
The disabled ship then bounded off and drifted towards rocks on the other side of
the harbour.
Only the skill of her captain stopped her from grounding and he was able recover
the ship to safety within a very short period.
The damage is being assessed but it seems likely the ship has to go to a mainland
dock for repairs.
However, no final decision has been made at this stage.
The ship is still likely to be out of action for most of this week and probably longer.
Lorries are being transferred onto the MV Clansman.
The Ranger is on charter to Cal Mac carrying articulated lorries and goods’ vehicles
for the regular overnight run on a timetable tailored to the logistics of the islands’
haulage industry.
If the ship has to leave then Cal Mac faces a headache in replacing her. Presently,
the company is short on vessels as ferries are in drydock for their own refits.
The island’s regular passenger ferry MV Isles of Lewis has just arrived in Birkenhead,
Liverpool where she is due to be in drydock for the next three weeks.
Her stand-in, the smaller MV Clansman, is unlikely to be able to take all the freight
traffic for Lewis on her timetabled two runs across the Minch.
Problems may worsen if bad weather hits the islands this coming weekend as forecast.