Ship chartered to busy ferry route breaks down

CalMac had hoped to free up space on its ferry MV Loch Seaforth by chartering MV Arrow

A freight ferry brought in to help relieve pressure on CalMac's Stornoway to Ullapool crossing broke down at the weekend.

The MV Arrow was chartered a week ago to provide additional overnight sailings on the route for six weeks.

CalMac had hoped the charter would free up space on its MV Loch Seaforth ferry, particular during the busiest weeks of the summer tourist season.

The breakdown follows problems on islands routes earlier this year.

The Loch Seaforth had to undergo major repairs after suffering an engine failure in April.

The ferry returned to service on 31 May.

• Ferry failure may have been caused by worn-out screws

• Ferry returns to service after weeks of repairs

The breakdown caused wider disruption to CalMac's west coast network because other ferries had to be used to cover for the Loch Seaforth.

This month, sailings between Mallaig and Lochboisdale on South Uist were disrupted after the MV Lord of the Isles broke down.

Following the breakdown of the Arrow, CalMac's managing director Robbie Drummond said: "The MV Loch Seaforth will resume night freight sailings and commercial customers are being made aware of this change.

"Our customer service team will try to accommodate any customers who were booked on to the two additional weekly passenger sailings in the meantime."

Angus Campbell, chairman of CalMac's independent community board, said the ferry operator's decision to charter the Arrow had been welcomed.

But he described the breakdown as a "huge disappointment", adding that it "only adds to the total frustration with the service".