Tag: ferries

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US ferry system in ‘severe turmoil’ as 38 lawmakers write to Congress ‘urgently’ requesting extra funds

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From the Seattle Medium today: The Washington State Ferry system (WSF) is currently facing severe turmoil, prompting 38 elected leaders to send a letter to Congress urgently requesting funding “at the highest level possible” to aid WSF in its operations. The agency is currently operating with just over half the number of boats it needs to effectively serve the region. Despite receiving over $140 million in federal grants over the past two years, WSF requires additional funding and time to address staffing and vessel availability crises. In an effort to restore full service as quickly as possible, lawmakers from seven … Continue reading US ferry system in ‘severe turmoil’ as 38 lawmakers write to Congress ‘urgently’ requesting extra funds

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CalMac currently operating at over 99% reliability with most destinations at 100%

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The Times, the Scotsman and many others are going with a ‘summer of chaos‘ narrative for Scotland’s ferries because of delays with two new boats and extended maintenance for the MV Caledonian Isles but surely those are current problems for the ferry service, affecting current performance? By Professor John Robertson, Talking-up Scotland’s International Ferries Correspondent Gee, I wonder how we could find out how reliable CalMac is? I know, unlike any other ferry service in the world, they have to publish daily figures. Let’s have a look. Yesterday – 502 sailings and 99% of them on time The day before? … Continue reading CalMac currently operating at over 99% reliability with most destinations at 100%

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Elderly Canadian ferries major maintenance woes and climate change failures after severe government cuts to funding

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By Professor John Robertson After years of crew shortages and breakdowns in elderly ferries (average age 37 compared to 24 in Scotland) BC Ferries customers faced new disappointments at the end of 2023. From CTV News in August 2023: BC Ferries says it will be more than a month before its Coastal Renaissance ferry returns to service. The vessel has been docked for days now, after an issue with its motor took it out of service on Aug. 17. In an update Tuesday, the provincial ferry provider said the Coastal Renaissance will not be back in service until October. and … Continue reading Elderly Canadian ferries major maintenance woes and climate change failures after severe government cuts to funding

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A phantom ferry fiasco

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By NMRN Kathryn Sampson of ITV noted recently in her #SNPBAD attempted ‘report’ that a ferry was built in Turkey…..I guess then that the UK government awarding the construction of some parts of ships for the Royal Navy to overseas (foreign) companies does not matter then….as that’s ….different ? (we all know what she, Samson, was trying to say and do in noting the Turkey connection) ….however it was reported that “The Conservative UK government tends towards a competitive procurement process, which goes for the lowest cost bidder, no matter where they are bidding from”…. Just sayin. Plus we also had Chris Grayling and … Continue reading A phantom ferry fiasco

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Exclusively repetitive on a ferry story from the Herald

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Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to my favourite, nearly 100 year-old, paper-based, to your door, Scots Independent newspaper, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ I’m saying nothing about knobs but from the Herald today: Nationalised Ferguson Marine have denied a breach of the ferry fiasco agreement after cutting the contracted size of the two lifeline ferries by 300 passengers. The Herald can confirm that a redesign of the two ferries, as a result of safety concerns, will cut its passenger carrying capacity below that specified when the contract was signed in October, 2015. The … Continue reading Exclusively repetitive on a ferry story from the Herald

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Ferry captain accused of causing millions of dollars in damage accident had a history of workplace problems at Washington State Ferries

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ There’s so much bad news out there about ferries, from Alaska to New Zealand, you have to wonder how ‘our’ journos have the time to write every day about CalMac. Today, in the US Times Post: Ferry captain accused of causing millions of dollars in damage accident by MV Ferry Cathlamet July 2022 had a history of workplace problems at Washington State Ferries (WSF)KING 5 Investigators found. State records show that in the months and years leading up to the accident, colleagues and ferry managers expressed concerns about Capt. Dave’s … Continue reading Ferry captain accused of causing millions of dollars in damage accident had a history of workplace problems at Washington State Ferries

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Canadian ferries vibrating too much due to cost-saving in German yards

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This site costs nothing to run so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ B.C. Ferries vessel Coastal Inspiration. B.C. FERRIES As the new Clydebuilt CalMac ferry is reported to have had ‘overwhelmingly positive trials, clearly demonstrating the advanced technology which MV Glen Sannox will bring to the CalMac fleet‘, troubled BC Ferries in Canada, seem to have bought cheap but not ‘properly built’ in a foreign yard. In the Times Colonist yesterday: The reliability of Coastal Class ­vessels hinges on B.C. Ferries addressing their inherent vibration issues, stemming from partially submerged ­propellers. These issues, present since inception, necessitated the avoidance … Continue reading Canadian ferries vibrating too much due to cost-saving in German yards

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Despite a failing ferry service, Canadian media support local shipyards over cheap, unsafe, unreliable, outdated, foreign vessels

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From the Times Colonist in British Columbia, yesterday: Editorial: B.C. Ferries’ vessels should be built in B.C. B.C. Ferries has decided to buy four more Island class boats to serve the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and Campbell River-Quadra Island routes. Here’s the problem. All four boats will be built at a Romanian shipyard. And this makes no sense. So how can such a small economy beat out local yards here at home? No doubt part of the reason is wage rates. Romania is a poor country, and its workers earn less than ours. https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/editorial-bc-ferries-vessels-should-be-built-in-bc-8316651 Add to the above factor – low wages … Continue reading Despite a failing ferry service, Canadian media support local shipyards over cheap, unsafe, unreliable, outdated, foreign vessels

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Anger as New Zealand ministers told ferries needed ‘urgent attention’ BEFORE project axed

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Yesterday, we heard that aging Australian ferries were being brought back into service to replace cheap Chinese-built ferries blowing up. Today, we hear: KiwiRail told ministers its ill-fated ferry project required “urgent attention”, just days before it got axed. The Interislander operator today released its briefing to the incoming ministers, which had been prepared at the end of November. Shortly after the report was written, the project to buy two new ferries and upgrade two ports was axed when the government refused to spend an extra $1.5 billion. In recent times, we’ve heard of cheap Vietnamese-built privately-owned ferries running aground on Orkney … Continue reading Anger as New Zealand ministers told ferries needed ‘urgent attention’ BEFORE project axed

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Ferry fiasco as older Australian ferries have to be brought back into service when cheap Chinese replacements fail

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From North Beaches Advocate tomorrow: Emerald-class ferry fiasco Feb 12, 2024 – Unreliable engines will be replaced with ‘renewable ready’ upgrades in the three Emerald-class Manly ferries. Concerns over the reliability of the new Generation 2 Emerald-class ferry fleet have been mounting since they first entered service in October 2021. Although criticised for being Chinese built, the shipbuilder claimed the design of the ferries and propulsion systems were all sourced in Australia.As the new Generation 2 Emerald-class fleet entered service, the older Freshwater-class ferries were due to be retired, but gradually, all but one has re-entered service as concerns over safety and reliability issues mounted. https://www.northernbeachesadvocate.com.au/2024/02/12/emerald-class-ferry-fiasco/ Cheap … Continue reading Ferry fiasco as older Australian ferries have to be brought back into service when cheap Chinese replacements fail