Tag: ferry

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Scotland’s ferries policy manifestly functional says this expert

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In the Herald today: Scotland’s ferry policy is “manifestly dysfunctional” and must be overhauled, an expert has said. In a submission to a Transport Scotland consultation on its Island Connectivity plan, Roy Pedersen criticised the current process of “the state procuring large, inefficient ships! which he says “will increase the already high financial cost to the Scottish taxpayer”.  Pederson’s report is 36 pages long but judging by the above claims, he has missed any international comparisons of the kind any rigorous research would require. Academics call it a ‘review of literature’ without which no research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. If … Continue reading Scotland’s ferries policy manifestly functional says this expert

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Islanders have photos of empty shelves caused by ferry fiasco but only on the Channel Islands

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From BBC Jersey, today: Shop shelves in Jersey have been empty of fresh produce since Monday due to cancelled freight ferries. Condor Ferries’ conventional sailings were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday “due to operational reasons”, the company said. The boats carry freight and fresh food, as well as passengers, to the Channel Islands. Condor Ferries has been contacted for comment. That’s all. Nobody blames the Channel Islands or UK governments for a failure to invest in new ferries. No islander says – ‘Right! That’s it! I’m off.‘ They have the proof of empty shelves, above. I seem to remember similar … Continue reading Islanders have photos of empty shelves caused by ferry fiasco but only on the Channel Islands

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At least CalMac ferries can shut their bow-doors to prevent becoming another Herald of Free Enterprise

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A Washington State roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ferry, with no bow doors. What can happen in Washington State: Ferries are one of the most efficient modes of transportation for transporting goods or people over short water distances. That doesn’t mean they’re protected from the elements. A video showing how seawater entered a ferry in Washington shocked social networks this week. In this 1 minute and 14 second video, you can see how water filled part of the boat called the M/V Issaquah due to strong waves, an incident that occurred in northeastern Washington state. The ferry was heading to Anacortes near … Continue reading At least CalMac ferries can shut their bow-doors to prevent becoming another Herald of Free Enterprise

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Why are BBC Scotland’s ‘ageing ferries’ far younger than Washington State’s ‘ageing ferries?’

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From King-TV Seattle today: Washington State Ferries (WSF) received $4.8 million in federal funding to refurbish six aging boats in its fleet, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell announced Wednesday. The federal grant will pay for upgrades on WSF’s Issaquah Class Vessels, originally constructed between 1979 and 1982. The vessels currently serve travellers on the Fauntleroy-Southworth-Vashon, Mukilteo-Clinton, and Anacortes-San Juan Islands routes. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/washington-state-ferries-receives-4-8-million-in-federal-funding-for-passenger-area-upgrades/ar-AA1kKmpQ?ocid=asudhp Meanwhile, in Scotland, from BBC Scotland in May 2022: The problem with CalMac’s ageing ferries. Announcements that Caledonian MacBrayne ferries have been withdrawn from service for repairs are becoming an increasingly common occurrence. Most islands in the west … Continue reading Why are BBC Scotland’s ‘ageing ferries’ far younger than Washington State’s ‘ageing ferries?’

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Lorry driver ignores bridge weight limit, who you gonna blame? BBC Scotland ask ‘Did the Scottish Government build the bridge?’

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Bob Lamont for alerting me to this: Lorry damage puts CalMac ferry out of action BBC Scotland note: CalMac told ferry users the damage was caused by “large commercial vehicles” whose weight exceeds the ramp’s design load, but it has been unable to identify which lorries were to blame. Who’s to blame, children? Yes, the lying lorry driver and the lorry owners. What do BBC Scotland suggest instead? Cumbrae Ferry Users Group held a public meeting to discuss the ferry problems on Tuesday, attended by 130 people – about 10% of the island’s population. … Continue reading Lorry driver ignores bridge weight limit, who you gonna blame? BBC Scotland ask ‘Did the Scottish Government build the bridge?’

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New Zealand’s ferry fiasco as Finance Minister pays advisors $2 000 a day for two months so far

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From the New Zealand Herald today: Finance Minister Nicola Willis has defended wanting independent advice on the future of Cook Strait ferries from experts charging $2000 a day, “given KiwiRail got us into this mess”. The Herald has revealed members of the ferry ministerial advisory group have been paid more than $80,000 between them since being appointed just two months ago. The group was announced after the Government refused to give KiwiRail more money for its mega ferry project – leaving the plan to replace the ageing Interislander fleet dead in the water. Overall costs, including new terminals and wharf upgrades, had ballooned to almost $3 billion. KiwiRail is now negotiating … Continue reading New Zealand’s ferry fiasco as Finance Minister pays advisors $2 000 a day for two months so far

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CalMac ferries are youngest in major survey!

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linked to the aging vessels it currently it currently has to use. By Professor John Robertson BBC Scotland today, opening with the ferries construction being ‘delayed and over budget‘, a ‘running sore‘, then ‘delayed and over budget‘ again, all in less than 60 seconds, in case you didn’t get that, before repeating the idea that the fleet is ‘aging.’ Well, we’re all aging, but CalMac ferries are, objectively, younger than average, for a ferry fleet. From a September 2022, Ernst and Young LLP survey for the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland department, CalMac ferries are, on average, newer (22) than those … Continue reading CalMac ferries are youngest in major survey!

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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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How the Conservative Government allowed P&O to lay the ground for future ferry disasters

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Never mind the construction delays or the cancellations inconveniencing the comfortable island retirees – 193 dead – there’s a ferry fiasco for you. Above, the Herald of Free Enterprise, only a few minutes after leaving the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on the night of 6th March 1987, killing 193 people on board.  Ironically, the UK Government of the day and for 8 years until then was Conservative, big champions of de-regulated capitalism and full-throated free enterprise. According to research by Middlesex University: One root cause was the failure of the assistant boatswain to close the bow door before dropping moorings, … Continue reading How the Conservative Government allowed P&O to lay the ground for future ferry disasters