ALFRED © Pentland Ferries

CalMac extends charter of catamaran ferry ALFRED for a further five months

FerryThe unreliability of the ageing ferry fleet of Scotland’s largest ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), has meant further expense for the ferry operator as it has had to announce the further extension of its “emergency” charter of Pentland Ferries’ catamaran passenger/vehicle ferry ALFRED for a further five months, until the end of October 2025.

This latest contract extension, the previous one being for six months from October 2024 to March 2025, has taken CalMac’s charter costs to GBP 22 million for this vessel.

The 2019-built ALFRED currently operates alongside the new LNG hybrid ro-pax GLEN SANNOX on the route between Troon and Brodick (Arran) and will do so until 11 June, when the ro-pax 1993-built CALEDONIAN ISLES will return to the Arran service on 12 June, following her much-delayed dry-docking and refit.

The 1,000-passenger, 110-car capacity CALEDONIAN ISLES has been out of service since January 2024, with delays in returning to service being the result of unexpected steel renewal, major repairs to the port gearbox, and extensive repairs to propeller shafts. This ferry will operate to Brodick from Ardrossan.

Confirming the charter extension, CalMac’s interim Fleet Management Director, Louis de Wolff, said the charter extension “will give the network much-needed resilience until the end of the summer timetable. Plans for her (ALFRED’s) deployment are being finalised and will be announced soon.”

Jun 05 2025