Customer Update - Annual overhaul delays

Update 05 March 2024

A further update is available for customers with regards to timetable and deployment plans for the summer period via our latest customer update - 5 March..

Updated 29 February 2024

We wanted to provide customers with the latest information on how we are planning to support services and provide certainty following news of the scale of repairs required to MV Caledonian Isles which we shared last week.

MV Caledonian Isles usually serves the Ardrossan-Brodick route, however, given we have limited deployment options, and the fleet is stretched to the limit, the loss of the vessel for this length of time at this time of year will affect the wider network.

Community and customer input

We have consulted with communities across the network this week to gather feedback on potential redeployment options. This will play an important role in reshaping our plans with limited deployment options that are available to us.

Amended timetables and vessel deployment

With this feedback in hand, and work on deployment plans ongoing, we now expect to publish amended timetables for the summer timetable period (from 29 March onwards) on Tuesday 5 March. We will then provide information and guidance to you on when our booking system will be updated, and what to expect should your booking be affected.

We've shared below the information we have on specific services below

Arran services

A single vessel service, operated by MV Isle of Arran will continue to serve the Ardrossan- Brodick route until 28 March 2024.

MV Alfred is due to complete overhaul we will confirm deployment plans once we have confirmation of her availability for service.

Islay services

MV Finlaggan, which is currently serving the route to/from Islay will not leave for scheduled overhaul as planned and will remain on the Kennacraig-Islay route for the time being.

We will confirm the date of MV Finlaggan's departure for overhaul by Friday 8 March 2024.

To provide further capacity and certainty during cattle sales periods, MV Hebridean Isles will join MV Finlaggan in serving the route to/from Islay from Friday 8 March up to the end of the winter timetable period on 28 March 2024, inclusive.

An amended timetable up to the 28 March inclusive will be published on 4 March.

We understand customers will be concerned at this time and we would like to thank you for the patience you are showing our team - they are working hard to minimise the impact with what we have available to us.

We will continue to keep you updated throughout this period via our Service Status and Information pages which carries the very latest information on sailings, with broader details available on our customer updates section of our website.

Update 22 February 2024

Update on overhaul plan and timeline

Our team is currently working on vessel deployment plans for the network over the coming weeks, following clarification received on 21 February 2024 from the dry dock operator that MV Caledonian Isles which normally operates the Ardrossan-Brodick route will require to undertake significant steel repairs. It is estimated this will take an additional 16 weeks, approximately, which is subject to change.

We will update customers on how this will affect various routes across the network by Monday 4 March. Amended timetables will be published at this point too.

We understand that customers and communities will be concerned. Our team is currently assessing and evaluating the best deployment options with the vessels that are available to us during this period - and at all times our decisions will be focused on doing all we can to support services and minimise the effect. Given the circumstances, we will do the best we can, but want to be clear there will be a knock-on effect on other routes across the network.

As background and per previous updates, MV Caledonian Isles entered overhaul on 4 January in Greenock. During this work, it was identified there was more steel renewal required beyond what was originally planned, and the vessel was moved to Cammel Laird. Work has begun at the yard on a full assessment on the scope of repairs and we expect to receive this report shortly.

As always, we will keep customers updated throughout this period. You can stay up to date with the latest information on our services via our Service Status and Information pages which carries the very latest information on sailings, with broader details available on our customer updates section of our website.

Update 21 February 2024

As a result of a delay to the return of MV Clansman, amended timetables will continue through to Friday 23 February (inclusive), with some potential additional amendments possible for Saturday 24 February. We'll continue to keep you updated as we move through the overhaul schedule. View our latest update.

Update 23 January 2024

We've shared a latest customer update with customers regarding those routes which we expect to be affected be delays to the return of vessels from overhaul. This update builds on the information below.

Given this and current weather conditions and the delay to the return of vessels from overhaul, please continue to check our service status and information pages for the very latest detail on this route.

Update: 18 January 2024

We have identified increased work scope on MV Caledonian Isles, MV Isle of Mull and MV Coruisk during annual overhaul periods. This has extended the period that they will be unavailable for service and we are reviewing vessel deployment on some routes across the network.

Please be assured that we are liaising with our partners to establish a schedule for repairs to be completed, and expect to be able to share a timeline next week.

We will contact customers with affected bookings, and would like to thank customers for their patience throughout this period of disruption.

As always, for the latest information on each route, we encourage customers to check our Service Status and Information pages which carry the very latest information we have available.

Update 16 February 2024

A further update has been published for customers regarding how services will be affected by vessel redeployment as a result of the extended delay of MV Clansman from dry dock while MV Alfred departs for overhaul. View our latest update.