Mobile menu
5 June 2025
We wanted to let our customers know that MV Hebrides which ordinarily operates the service between Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy, will be removed from service from Monday 30 June until Thursday 3 July 2025 to allow for inspection of the damage to her bow visor. During this period, MV Alfred will cover the service. An amended timetable is being developed, and we will keep customers updated via our service updates page for the route.
Full repair of damage to her bow visor is likely to take place in the vessel's next annual overhaul in early 2026.
Customer information
For those customers who are affected by the amended timetable from Monday 30 June – Thursday 3 July 2025, we will be in contact with you to let you know, when we have the timetable detail in place.
Until 26 April
Due to a further delay in MV Hebrides returning from her annual overhaul programme the vessel will not return to service on Tuesday 22 April, as originally planned and is expected to return on Saturday 26 April. For the latest information on this delay and any impact to this route up to 26 April, please view the routes service status page.
We want to let you know that the return to service of MV Hebrides has been delayed until Tuesday 22 April. She is currently in overhaul and receiving additional repairs to her bow visor and stern ramp, which have been extended due to their complexity. We’ve shared below how we will support services to/from North Uist.
North Uist and Harris services
This means the current deployment plan will remain in place for longer. MV Clansman will continue to cover services between Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy.
As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status and information page for these routes, download our app, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
Customer bookings
If you have a booking that’s affected, our team will be in touch with you from Friday 4 April in sailing date order.
If have yet to make a reservation on the route or would like to make an amendment - our booking system is being updated, and while this work is underway it may seem like some sailings and amendments for the period Wednesday 16 April to Monday 21 April are unavailable. This is temporary. The service status page for the route will provide confirmation when all affected bookings have been updated.
Stay up to date
As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status and information page for these routes, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
Thank you
We appreciate your continued support and patience with the unforeseen extensions that can often take place when additional repairs are identified. It remains a unique set of circumstances, and our focus is on maintaining core services to all island communities.
We want to keep our customers updated on the annual overhaul programme and how we are deploying vessels and managing services across the network.
MV Hebrides overhaul
The need for additional repairs has been identified during MV Hebrides annual overhaul. The issue relates to her bow visor, stern ramp and car deck - and a repair plan has been quickly put in place.
This means that she will be delayed in dry dock and is now expected to return to service on 16 April 2025, rather than 6 April 2025.
Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy services
MV Clansman will continue to cover services until MV Hebrides returns.
Customer bookings
If you have a booking that’s affected, our team will be in touch with you.
If have yet to make a reservation on the route or would like to make an amendment - our booking system is being updated, and while this work is underway it may seem like some sailings and amendments for the period 7 April – 15 April are unavailable. This is temporary. Please do check back.
As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status and information page for these routes, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
Thank you
We appreciate the patience shown by our customers and stakeholders during the annual overhaul programme and the unforeseen extensions that can often take place when additional repairs are identified. As always, our focus is on maintaining core services to all island communities.
Following the news that MV Caledonian Isles - one of our major vessels - requires further repairs, we have planned for the vessel being unavailable for the duration for the winter timetable period. And with this being the case, we have published a new vessel deployment plan for the period 16 November 2024 - 27 March 2025. Below, we've shared information for customers on how this will affect services between Uig-Tarbert / Lochmaddy.
Given the vessels available to us, we have to reduce direct services to Lochboisdale from Saturday 16 November up to and including Saturday 30 November. To mitigate against the reduced service to South Uist, the Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy service will be amended with additional Lochmaddy services and fewer Tarbert services, while traffic to Tarbert will be accommodated on the Ullapool-Stornoway service. Full details will be available on our timetable pages shortly for this route.
Work is now underway to update the booking system - and while this is ongoing amendments and new bookings for some sailings are unavailable. This is temporary, so please do check back later.
If you have a reservation in the system that is affected by any of these changes, we will be in contact with you in date order of sailings.
As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status and information page for these routes, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
Again, we apologise for the inconvenience caused by having one of the large vessels on the fleet out of service for this period. It has been a challenging period for customers who have been affected.
The revised plans outlined above takes on board the feedback from customers and communities on how we manage this situation - and reflects our commitment to meeting demand and maintaining a lifeline service across the network. We will continue to look at ways to further support services across the network.