Professor John Robertson OBA, Fact-based Ferry Correspondent of the Year
The Herald’s Martin Williams today has the latest in his Fiasco Journalism Series:
A new “fiasco” caused by a ferry breakdown has sparked a row over the delivery of vital supplies on an island on the eve of its world famous whisky festival. The key ferry for Islay, MV Finlaggan has been sidelined as problems have emerged during routine planned maintenance of main engines during an annual overhaul period.
Under a picture of the MV Finlaggan (My daughter bought me a model of it for my shelves!) it’s described as ‘stricken!’ You have to fn laugh at that. It just in for maintenance and is being delayed for a week or so. Local haulier B Mundell (sic) is responsible for supplying the festival.
The above March 2025 survey tells a different story of the mass of islanders and tourists.
Who is really to blame – Haulier B Mundell and or the festival organisers who did not get their act together earlier to make sure of a place for their lorry and the festival necessities, early enough? It’s every year. How hard is that?
How full is the Islay ferry vehicle deck on average? 84.6%.
Source:
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://assets.calmac.co.uk/media/oaafw0if/kintyre.pdf
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Our good friend Maritime Williams from the Herald does seem to have been stung into a frantic new series of ridiculous stories today. I wonder why? 🙂
Mind you, he must be running out of quotation marks as he has missed out “Lifeline Services” in his headline.
I do like the “stricken bit” right enough. I have an image of Grace Darling towing the ferry to safety!
Herald circulation sinking faster than the Titanic at this rate.
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A common feature of the coverage of the issue of ‘ferries’ in Scotland is a discrepancy between certain ‘activist’ and mainstream media framing and much of the objective evidence. Here it seems is yet another example linked to the company referred to in the main blog post, B Mundell Ltd.
B Mundell lorries are a familiar sights on the roads of Argyll. It’s a family owned haulage company which operates out of Tarbert, Loch Fyne with depots on Islay and Glasgow. The company specialises in the transportation of tanked whisky spirits and bulk tipper traffic, but also provides general haulage services to and from Islay. It is a major user of CalMac ferries.
See https://www.mandata.co.uk/case-study/b-mundell-utilise-mandata-tms-to-manage-transport-operations/
The same source notes that B Mundell ‘also operates a dedicated parcel and courier operation – Duffies Deliveries – which connects the mainland to several Islands, including Islay, Arran, Bute, Mull and Rothesay, with a next-day parcel and general goods delivery service. There is also a wholly-owned PSV operation – Islay Coaches – which provides private and public passenger services throughout the Island.’ (Does Duffies still operate? Islay Coaches does.)
According to Companies House, B Mundell Ltd appears to be part of B Mundell Holdings Ltd. a private limited company incorporated in 2020.
The ‘Group of Companies Accounts made up to 31 May 2023’ – the latest available online from Companies House – were signed off by its board on 31 May 2024. In the year reported, the group had a turnover of c.£9.5 million and profit before tax of c.£950k. The annual report includes a ‘Strategic Report’ and this is the key part of the tale! The group’s strategic report signed off on 31 May 2024 has this:
‘Principle risks and uncertainties: The directors consider the results for the year to be satisfactory and are not aware of any major risks or uncertainties which could affect the continued growth of the group.’ (my emphasis)
This for a business almost wholly dependent on the conduct of business on and transport of goods via a CalMac ferry to/from Islay, that statement in a recent strategic report is – let’s just say – ‘telling’ given how the issue of ‘ferries’ has been framed by some islanders and the mainstream media in the recent years.
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