Imagine the excitement at the Herald, if a retired CalMac ferry sank?

The MV R.J Breadner, formerly the MV Albert J. Savioe, built in Vancouver in 1961 and retired at only 41 years of age, has sunk in Sechelt Inlet, on 4 November 2023. The former BC Ferries vessel worked in the relatively mild waters around the highly-affluent city of Vancouver.

Meanwhile, 7 former and pretty elderly CalMac ferries are still running in one of the most affluent countries in Europe, Ireland – MV Eigg (1974) Clare Island Ferries; MV Kilbrannan (1972) as above, renamed MV Clew Bay Queen; MVs Rhum, Canna, Coll & Morvern, (1974/1975) Arranmore Ferries; MVs Kyleakin & Kyle of Lochalsh (1970), Carrigloe crossing, County Cork. Source: You can find them all on wikipedia.

In Greece: 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. In 2021 she was sold to Creta Cargo Lines, Greece, renamed Orion, and towed to Perama for conversion to increase freight capacity.

Ferry Fiasco? More like Ferry Fantastic!