Today, we read in Global News (Canada) that BC Ferries are running at only 85% reliability, as they head in to the year, with 20 of 41 vessels due for major maintenance and stricken by a staffing and breakdown crisis. https://globalnews.ca/news/10263918/bc-ferries-repair-update/
BC Ferries and Washington State Ferries, serving archipelagos with around 30-40 vessels and 40-50 locations, in northern waters, are the most comparable with CalMac, though both operate at lower latitudes and in less stormy conditions. As several island reps have told BBC Scotland, we should learn from other ferry services.
CalMac is running at around 99% reliability in the days between the recent storms when they cancelled several sailings for safety reasons and is averaging 95.4% for the season. So far, island reps have not blamed the SNP for increasing the frequency of such storms. So, Calmac is 12% more reliable than BC Ferries.
On January 21st 2024, we could report that before Storm Isha struck today, Scotland’s CalMac ferry service was running at around 98 to 99% reliability and averaging 95.4% over the season.
America’s biggest ferry service, in Washington State, around Seattle, was at 84% reliability after years of bad labour relations, staff shortages due to poverty wages, $270 million in deferred maintenance and allowing its fleet to fall into decay: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/time-for-a-full-account-of-wa-ferries-value/
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
From the Ferguson Marine website.
https://www.fergusonmarine.com/#
The latest showing the impressive modernised shipyard and dual-fuel ferries.
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Cuckooshoe: That was very interesting and the video presentation of its history to the present day and its new facilities was great to see.
Lets hope it can pick up a few more substantial orders and continue as a viable and profitable marine engineering outfit for years to come.
Mind you, I have no doubt that what little remains of a the once much respected Herald newspaper will still try and carp outside the yard gates on behalf of its sponsors.
That was i
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Fantastic! I got a CalMac brick ferry (https://shop.calmac.co.uk/products/calmac-brick-ferry?c=998) for my 19th birthday yesterday, and I enjoyed building it but some pieces were hard to actually stick on it, but I completed it and I was proud of myself.
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WH
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John, Here is me being cynical but I find it strange that tonight QT is coming from Glasgow the day after the ex FM appeared at the Covid fiasco will the crowd be filled with Tories I will lay money on the first question being about Nicola Sturgeon ?
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“Here is me being cynical but I find it strange that tonight QT is coming from Glasgow the day after the ex FM appeared at the Covid fiasco”
Aye indeed and BBC Debate night returned last night after their Xmas break .
Timing is indeed everything…..pity they both had not been broadcast in Scotland during the vast media coverage connected to the Post Office scandal where it seems ALL focus is only upon the management within the Post office and somehow Pro UK politicians and Pro UK political parties are not also being held to account for both introducing and continuing with this failed system in the Post office, or indeed those same Pro UK politicians not intervening at some point when those who were being prosecuted were declaring their innocence and highlighting that something was very very wrong, indeed some Pro UK politicians even once praised it as a system……even the stooshie regarding Ed Davey’s negligence in his involvement with this has now died down …….imagine for one moment this scandal had been connected to the SNP as ones who had both introduced it and implemented it……the word crucified comes to mind…….
Imagine if the Post office televised drama had not been broadcast and thus the public were oblivious to the facts…..facts which the great British media failed to promote as they are too focused on either being complicit or compliant with the pro UK political establishment in their UK……where they, the media, never really want to rock the boat via pro UK parties but instead prefer to unleash all of their anger, energy and time against all things connected to the SNP……….for very obvious reasons.
NMRN
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I cant imagine the admission from the SSfS ‘Union Jack’ that he deleted all his WhatsApp messages will be discussed.
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If we have spent £300M on two new ferries that can use LNG, created a modern and up to date ship yard with competent staff, trained engineering apprentices, and kept commercial ship building afloat in Scotland, I think Im good with that. To my mind that is good use of taxpayers money creating future employment and skills to the benefit of the entire economy. Im sure BAe will be grateful as skilled designers, engineers and ship technicians are becoming increasing difficult to find (although they wont admit it).
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