Try searching for ‘Scotland aging ferries‘ and you’ll find several Scottish media reports with headlines repeating the simplistic association of cancellations with aging vessels and, at least by implication if not direct accusation, an SNP Government failure to invest in more new ones.

Try just searching for ‘aging ferries‘ and 7 of the 9 first hits are about Scottish ferries.

You’ll have seen in earlier posts that CalMac ferries are, on average, newer (22) than those in Norway (26), Australia (24) and Canada (35!): https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/strategic-framework-of-options-for-the-chfs-network-project-neptune/benchmarking/

Now, thanks to fellow twitterer (X man now?), Jamie Whiteford @Seumasabhein, I can include Greek ferries too. They’re still using the 45 year-old MV Orion:

MV Orion (formerly MV Saturn, Scottish Gaelic: Satharn, and MV Orcadia) is a ro-ro passenger and vehicle ferry. Saturn was operated by Caledonian MacBrayne in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland between 1978 and 2011, for the first decade of her career on the Rothesay crossing. Later, she also saw service on the Dunoon and Brodick crossings, as well as on short cruises around the Clyde.

After a lengthy lay-up, she was sold in 2015 to Pentland Ferries, renamed Orcadia, and converted for ferry services work with the renewable energy sector around Orkney and the Pentland Firth. In 2021 she was sold to Creta Cargo Lines, Greece, renamed Orion, and towed to Perama for conversion to increase freight capacity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Orcadia

As we’re adding Greek ferries, a quick check on safety to compare with CalMac’s no lives lost ever. Oh!

MS Express Samina (Greek: Εξπρές Σάμινα) was a French-built RoPax ferry that struck the charted Portes Islets rocks in the Bay of Parikia off the coast of Paros island in the central Aegean Sea on 26 September 2000. The accident resulted in 81 deaths^[4] and the loss of the ship. The cause of the accident was crew negligence, for which several members were found criminally liable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Express_Samina#:~:text=MS%20Express%20Samina%20(Greek%3A%20%CE%95%CE%BE%CF%80%CF%81%CE%AD%CF%82,the%20loss%20of%20the%20ship.

Don’t think that the Greeks can use older ferries because the seas are calmer there: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_tropical-like_cyclone

Finally, CalMac operates 365 days a year to all locations. In Greece:

Greek ferries to islands of medium popularity, such as Sifnos, Milos, Patmos, or Leros, usually operate three times per week during winter. Even smaller islands, like Sikinos and Tilos, have ferries once or twice per week.

https://blog.ferriesingreece.com/greek-ferries/in-winter

That seems fair. Can someone ask the not-SNP councillor for South Uist?

Footnote:

Jamie Whiteford @Seumasabhein

There are 7 ex-Calmac ferries still operating, 5 in Ireland (Clare Island and Cork) 1 is a cable laying vessel in the North Sea now called MV Ocean Link, the Keppel is cruising in the Med for Hornblower Cruises and the aforementioned Saturn.