Yesterday CalMac was down to 91.2% on time. Islanders are furious and have called for the First Minister to go. Ankeir Starmwar has promised them all a new lithium battery powered replacement after an offer from the Danish Labour Party of 25 new ferries that Danes now refuse to travel on after one burst into flames and took four days to put out.
OK, I made up some of the last bit but this, from media reports in the last 24 hours, is true.
Condor Ferries has delayed the first planned sailing of its new boat to Guernsey and Jersey. The Islander ferry was scheduled to run a freight-only service on Sunday 8 October, and then take passengers a week later. It will now start the crossings from Portsmouth on the 20 October instead, in time for the half-term holiday.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-67020438
BBC Guernsey reports no angry islanders, no threats of an exodus, no business problems. They also do not mention earlier delays nor is the leader of the regional government mentioned.
‘Unprecedented financial challenges’ means that the cost of crossing the Tamar [Cornwall] are set to rise. Tamar Crossings, who operate the Torpoint Ferry and the Tamar Bridge, say they are facing a significant and growing financial deficit unless there is intervention to increase income.
https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/tamar-bridge-torpoint-ferries-crossing-8806984
CalMac ferries are currently subsidised by the SNP Government more than any ferry service in the world.
Crew shortages [on Shetland] have forced a reduction in ferry services today (Friday) and throughout next week. The SIC said there would be a single vessel service on Yell Sound today and also from Monday to Friday. All bookings will be suspended and crew will endeavour to put in extra runs wherever possible.
https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2023/10/06/ferry-services-reduced-due-to-crew-shortage
CalMac ferries report no staff recruitment problems but then they do pay beyond the Living Wage thanks to that massive average subsidy of around £50 per journey: https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/23646314.holyrood-protects-calmac-vital-ferry-services-privatised/
Abuse, weapons threats to BC Ferries staff [Canada] put public meetings on hold.BC Ferries has cancelled 32 sailings on the Sunshine Coast run, or Route 3, in September and October, including the Thanksgiving long weekend. The day before the FAC meeting, there were waits of seven and half hours for the ferry, Mumford said.
https://www.cheknews.ca/abuse-weapons-threats-to-bc-ferries-staff-put-public-meetings-on-hold-1171943/
Staffing shortages in the affluent Vancouver area are blamed for the problems, along with a really aging fleet. Minimum hourly wage rates are among the lowest in Canada in British Columbia. The regional government is never blamed in the media. Indeed they join the passengers in blaming the management.
Finally for today on the Mersey (Liverpool):
Mersey Ferry cancellations continue due to ‘operational difficulties.’ The ferry service has faced disruption since Monday (October 2) with cancellations due to operational difficulties. A bus replacement service will operate during commuter hours from Seacombe to Hamilton Square.
https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/23832437.mersey-ferry-cancellations-continue-due-operational-difficulties/
Reading the above reports makes me wonder if there’s something quite challenging about running ferry services compared to, for example, a bus services and that, maybe, just maybe, CalMac, in the stormy seas off the North Atlantic coast of Scotland is relatively good at it?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
These constant attacks on our public services by the media in Scotland are either designed to undermine our faith in publicly owned services or the government of the day.
Probably both given the people who control the message.
Thankfully we have an alternative.
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Just a thought…
Perhaps the unexplained ‘operational difficulties’ blighting the Mersey ferry have been caused by copious amounts of sewage being dumped into the river by United Utilities – and the Tories have banned all mention of it?
And that “piece of equipment” for the Portsmouth/Channel Islands ferry is coming from within the EU, and delivery of it has been held up by Brexit red tape – and again the Tories have banned all mention of it?
It wouldn’t surprise me…
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Context is something I’m always posting about on social media. We get statements about ferries but nothing added to compare them to. We are just supposed to accept that everthing the SG does is doomed to failure. The Labour party via Jackie Baillie has the absolute nerve to do this too – always talking down our NHS without a mention that their party in Wales makes a worse job of theirs. The unionist parties in general love to wax lyrical about how bad education in Scotland is, about how we have the highest taxes in the UK and, of course, the corruption within the Scottish government. It’s almost as if nothing of the sort happens anywhere else in the UK. This wouldn’t matter too much if the UK government was not what these parties wished to foist upon us and it is for that very reason we need context and comparison.
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