The best equivalent ferry service in the world

As the Sunday Post tries top keep Scotland’s ill-informed ‘ferry fiasco’ alive here’s what you’re not hearing.

Factcheck – CalMac has the youngest ferries and is the best in the world
Scotland subsidises its ferries far more than any other country, subsidises island life far more than any other part and the Mull service is 98% reliable for half empty vehicle decks!
Everybody complains about their ferry service, from Norway to North America – short video
In no other part of the UK, Europe or North America does the state broadcaster invent the news about a national ferry service
Arran ferry cancellations due to mechanical faults plummet by factor of SEVEN in only three years, to only 2% and half the number due to weather
Music festival-goers in England asked to pay TWELVE times the fare for a ferry crossing barely a QUARTER of the distance AND have less fun
Canadian state with twice Scotland’s GDP builds fewer than half the number of new ferries for its lifeline island services
‘Botched Bass Strait [Tasmania] ferries’ overspend budget is greater than for Glen Sannox & Glen Rosa hybrid ferries but media coverage is the opposite
New Zealand ferry operator fined $400 000 for failing to train crew to hold down a button for five seconds to disable autopilot and avoid running aground
US ferry system in a State with nearly three times Scotland’s GDP is ‘fragile’ due to lack of Government-funding
Innovative high capital cost projects commonly overrun in costs and time but only the ferries in Scotland can be exploited by the ruthless hypocrites

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5 thoughts on “The best equivalent ferry service in the world”

  2. Do they not realise at the Sunday Post that the elections were held on 7th May?

    Time to move on and accept that the SNP won convincingly and give us another Sunday Post “Exclusive”, like what brand of T Bags were nicked by the Polis while they counted them in the blue murder tent.

    Stephen McKenzie

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  4. The Sunday Post article led with this: ‘Ferry saga bosses have handed another £600,000 of taxpayers’ cash to consultants – because they don’t know how to fill the ships with “climate-friendly” fuel.’

    I’m no expert in ship building but at least I know how to get some insight into the subject – in literally five minutes from ChatGPT! Apologies for length.

    My query: ‘I‘m interested in the commissioning phase of new commercial ship building , in particular vessels designed to operate with dual fuel systems including LNG. Is it unusual, or necessary, for shipyards to contract with external accredited specialist companies to support the commissioning of an LNG fuel system?’

    The response: ‘No, it is generally not unusual, and in many cases it is effectively necessary, for shipyards to use external specialist companies during the commissioning of LNG fuel systems on dual-fuel vessels. (my emphasis)

    ‘The extent of external involvement depends on the shipyard’s internal capabilities, the complexity of the fuel gas system, the owner’s requirements, and classification society expectations, but LNG commissioning is one of the areas where outside expertise is commonly brought in.’

    ‘Why LNG commissioning is different: Commissioning a conventional marine fuel oil system is relatively straightforward compared with an LNG fuel gas system. LNG introduces: Cryogenic temperatures (around -162°C) Gas handling and containment requirements Hazardous area management Gas detection and emergency shutdown systems Pressure control and boil-off gas management Integration with dual-fuel engines and automation systems Extensive safety validation and testing requirements. Because of these factors, commissioning personnel need specialist knowledge that may not exist in sufficient depth within the shipyard’s permanent workforce.

    ‘Typical external specialists involved: It is common to see support from: LNG fuel tank manufacturers Fuel Gas Supply System (FGSS) suppliers Cryogenic equipment manufacturers Dual-fuel engine makers Automation and control system specialists LNG bunkering specialists Independent commissioning contractors For example, if the vessel uses an FGSS from a company such as Wärtsilä, TGE Marine, or LGM Engineering, those suppliers typically provide commissioning engineers as part of their delivery scope. Similarly, dual-fuel engines from MAN Energy Solutions or WinGD are normally commissioned with direct manufacturer involvement.

    ‘Activities often performed by specialist commissioning teams: External LNG commissioning specialists may support: Mechanical completion verification System pressure testing Inerting and gassing-up procedures LNG cool-down operations Initial LNG loading Functional testing of safety systems ESD (Emergency Shutdown) testing Gas valve unit testing Automation and control logic validation Gas trials and sea trials.

    ‘Classification and regulatory considerations: Classification societies such as: Lloyd’s Register DNV ABS Bureau Veritas do not normally require that commissioning be performed by an independent company, but they do require evidence that testing, verification, and safety-critical activities are performed by competent personnel and documented appropriately.

    ‘Using recognized LNG commissioning specialists often makes compliance and acceptance easier because their procedures and records are already familiar to class surveyors and flag administrations.

    ‘Current industry practice In modern LNG-fuelled newbuild projects, especially for: Container ships Car carriers Cruise ships LNG bunkering vessels Large ferries Tankers it is quite common for a commissioning team to be a mixed group consisting of: Shipyard commissioning engineers Engine-maker representatives FGSS supplier specialists Automation engineers Class surveyors Owner’s site team The LNG system commissioning may therefore be led by the yard but heavily supported by specialist subcontractors.

    ‘When external specialists become almost essential: External accredited specialists are particularly likely to be used when: The shipyard has limited prior LNG newbuild experience. The LNG fuel system is supplied as a turnkey package by a specialist vendor. The vessel uses high-pressure gas injection engines. The project is the first vessel of a new class. The owner requires independent commissioning verification. The yard is building several LNG vessels simultaneously and lacks sufficient in-house LNG commissioning personnel.

    ‘So, from an industry perspective, hiring external specialist LNG commissioning companies is not usually viewed as a sign that a shipyard lacks capability. Rather, it is often considered prudent risk management for a safety-critical system involving cryogenic fuels, hazardous gases, and complex integration with propulsion and automation systems.’

    Did the Sunday Post journalist do ANY research before writing?

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