Ferry repair costs balloon over last year

Ferry maintenance costs have ballooned in the last year, up 55 per cent from the previous year.

The cost of repairs to the CalMac fleet in 2023-24 totalled £41.2m – up from £26.5m in 2022-23.

The figures, released under freedom of information laws, also show a significant increase in the last five years. In 2018-19, repair and maintenance costs were just £15.5m.

Part of the issue is the ageing fleet, a problem the two delayed and overbudget ferries being built at Ferguson Marine was meant to partially address.

The first of those, Glen Sannox, was originally meant to enter service in 2018 but it only began its sea trials earlier this year. Glen Rosa was due to enter service in 2019 but is now not expected until 2025.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said islanders were being “let down” by the Scottish Government.

He added: “Old and battered boats are requiring more and more time and money to repair.

“The SNP’s ferries fiasco has left islanders without the lifeline services they need. They have been in power for 17 years. There is no one to blame but themselves.”

The party’s FOI request also revealed over £500,000 was spent on customer rights claims in 2023-24.

The Scottish Government announced earlier this month that it was starting the process of procuring seven new ferries as part of its small vessels replacement programme.

The invitation to tender is expected to be issued in September, with the contract to be awarded in March next year.

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:  “The Scottish Government is absolutely committed to improving our ferry fleet to better meet the needs of island communities, so I’m very pleased to see the procurement process for seven new small vessels get underway today.

“Our intention is that these ferries would be deployed on seven existing routes, but would also bring benefits to two other routes from the redeployment of existing vessels. These nine routes currently serve around 30 per cent of the car and passenger carryings on the Clyde and Hebrides network.”

There had been calls to award the small vessels contract directly to Ferguson Marine to keep the shipyard afloat.

But Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said doing so involved “substantial risks and uncertainties” for both the yard and islanders due to UK subsidy laws.

The yard will be able to submit a bid to build the new ferries, however.