CalMac spent over £95 million on repairs to the vessels in its fleet since 2014, the Scottish Conservatives can reveal today.
Freedom of information requests by the Scottish Conservatives show that 2023/24 was the most expensive year for ferry repairs with £17,048,000 being spent in that year alone.
Despite spending an “eye-watering amount of taxpayers’ money” on repairs, CalMac said that the MV Caledonian Isles could be delayed until March 2025.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said that the SNP “have run Scotland’s ferry network into the ground”.
Ms Webber added that the SNP have “betrayed islanders at every turn” and that ministers should be “held to account”.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said: “The SNP have run Scotland’s ferry network into the ground.
“Despite spending an eye-watering amount of taxpayers’ money on repairs, hard pressed Scots will have to wait until next year before the MV Caledonian Isles is in service.
“The SNP have betrayed islanders at every turn and left them relying on out-of-date vessels.
“Taxpayers’ shouldn’t have to pick up the tab for the SNP’s incompetence.
“Targets have been missed time and time again under the SNP and it is high time that ministers were held to account for this appalling and unforgivable ferries fiasco.”
Notes:
CalMac spent £95,780,000 on repairs to key vessels since 2014. These are: the MV Argyle (built 2006), MV Caledonian Isles (built 1993), MV Finlaggan (built 2010), MV Isle of Lewis (built 1995), MV Isle of Mull (built 1987), MV Loch Dunvegan (built 1991), MV Loch Seaforth (built 2014), and the MV Lord of the Isles (built 1986). (CalMac, 21 November 2024, link; Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
Over £15 million was spent on the MV Isle of Lewis since 2014. £15,292,000 was spent on the vessel since 2014. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
CalMac has spent £7.06 million on MV Caledonian Isles from 1 February 2024 to 31 October 2024 to date since it entered dry dock for repairs. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
Over £14 million was spent on the MV Lord of the Isles since 2014. £14,580,000 was spent on the vessel since 2014. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
2023/24 was the most expensive year for ferry repairs. £17,048,000 was spent on ferry repairs in 2023/24. £10,854,000 was spent in 2022/23. £12,351,000 was spent in 2021/22. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
The MV Glen Sannox was finally handed over CalMac on 21 November 2024. The ferry operator will now conduct several weeks of crew familiarisation trials before the ship carries its first passengers in January. (BBC News, 21 November 2024, link).
CalMac has £7.06 million on MV Caledonian Isles from 1 February 2024 to 31 October 2024 to date since it entered dry dock for repairs. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
The MV Caledonian Isles could be delayed until March 2025. CalMac said new problems had been uncovered on MV Caledonian Isles while the ship was in dry dock. No new date has been confirmed yet for its return to service, but the ferry operator warned that in a worst-case scenario it could miss the entire winter season. The 31-year-old ship was originally due to return to service in September, but a new gearbox fault was detected, which knocked its return date to mid-November. (BBC News, 5 November 2024, link).