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Drifts nearly onto the rocks, hits the harbour wall and now runs aground – New Zealand’s real ferry crisis

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By our International Ferry Correspondent In January 2023: Stricken Cook Strait ferry the Kaitaki drifted more than a nautical mile towards the rugged Wellington south coast in winds gusting over 100kph, it’s been revealed. The harbour ships that raced to her aid also likely lacked the grunt to pull her and 800 passengers to safety. Wellington Harbourmaster Grant Nalder on Sunday praised the professionalism of the crew and captain, who battled challenging conditions to drop two anchors and halt the powerless ship’s drift 0.9 nautical miles from shore and 0.6 nautical miles (1.1km) from hitting the sea floor. In November … Continue reading Drifts nearly onto the rocks, hits the harbour wall and now runs aground – New Zealand’s real ferry crisis

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Ferry cancellations led to massive delays in British Columbia

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From CTV News, Vancouver, today: Ferry cancellations led to massive delays for people trying to return to the Lower Mainland from Salt Spring Island on Sunday night. Multiple BC Ferries sailings were cancelled, including the 7:30 p.m. departure from Long Harbour to Tsawwassen. Some travellers decided to try their luck at a second ferry terminal, Fulford Harbour. They were told by BC Ferries staff there would be no ferries available at that location either, due to staffing shortages and mechanical issues. For anyone hoping to catch a ferry, the only hope was making it onto an evening sailing from a … Continue reading Ferry cancellations led to massive delays in British Columbia

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Ferry service – ‘bad as it’s ever been, only going to get worse’ in affluent USA state of Washington

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From the Orcasonian, yesterday: There have been a number of overview stories recently about Washington State Ferries, including Tom Banse’s good one May 31 in Salish Current. They seem to have been occasioned by WSF finally issuing bid documents for the first new hybrid-electric ferries, the first of which may join WSF’s aging and depleted fleet in 2028. For those of us in San Juan County, dependent on ferries to connect us to one another and to the mainland, this announcement did nothing but underscore that the reality that our ferry service — bad as it’s ever been — is only … Continue reading Ferry service – ‘bad as it’s ever been, only going to get worse’ in affluent USA state of Washington

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As CalMac averages 99% lifeline English ferry service is at shocking 78% reliability with new boats five years away

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From Island Echo, yesterday Red Funnel is to order 3 brand new ferries for its East Cowes-Southampton route, but they won’t be sailing until at least 2028. It has been confirmed by the cross-Solent ferry operator that it intends to invest around £100million in 3 new vessels to replace the ageing Red Eagle, Red Falcon and Red Osprey, with the benefit of an improved crossing time. The new ships will be diesel-powered, rather than battery or electric, and will be smaller than the current Raptor-class vessels – but will have a ‘similar’ capacity. The contract to build the 3 new … Continue reading As CalMac averages 99% lifeline English ferry service is at shocking 78% reliability with new boats five years away

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Ferrymageddon as US travellers face four years or more of delays due to aging ferries

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By Professor John Robertson Today, in the Seattle Times: Washington ferry riders face a month of longer wait times as the 144-vehicle Suquamish ferry undergoes routine maintenance. Brought into service in 2018, Suquamish is the youngest ferry in WSF. With an average ferry age of 32, the system faces $270 million in deferred maintenance. Although the system needs 26 boats to run at full service, it currently has 21 ferries, so it’s on a reduced schedule for at least the next four years.  The average age of a CalMac ferry is 24. On May 3, we could also report: Washington State Ferries in … Continue reading Ferrymageddon as US travellers face four years or more of delays due to aging ferries

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The power and influence of ‘facts’

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By stewartb I don’t watch BBC Question Time anymore. I do occasionally watch clips posted on social media when there is something specifically about Scotland – usually regretting my decision! Just watched a clip of Stephen Flynn on the latest episode striving hard to communicate facts and provide perspective in a discussion about the NHS in Scotland. Multiple individuals sitting at the ‘top table’ were intent on rubbishing his claims and I lost count of the number of times he was interrupted. Can’t permit a BBC audience to hear a coherent, reasoned rebuttal from an SNP MP! My wider point … Continue reading The power and influence of ‘facts’

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CalMac averages 99.8% reliability over May weekend

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On Saturday 4th May, CalMac ferries made 508 sailings with 98.6% reliability. Only 2 out of the 10 Arran crossings were cancelled. Yesterday, Sunday 5th May, 100% of 360 sailings, were made on time, regardless of the late new ferries of the others in dock for planned maintenance. On these crossings, CalMac charged half the prices faced by passengers heading for the Isle of Wight, the Channel islands or the islands off Seattle or Vancouver where staff shortages meant cancellations. Sources: https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=05%2F05%2F2024 Continue reading CalMac averages 99.8% reliability over May weekend

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Canadian ferry service is 44% more expensive without the kind of massive £173 MILLION subsidy given by SNP Government for islanders in Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson Washington State Ferries in the USA have just announced new prices for the popular 15 miles, 1 hour crossing of the sheltered Puget Sound, between Bremerton and Seattle – $54.35 or £43.30. https://mynorthwest.com/3959021/travel-alert-washington-ferry-prices-go-up-amid-waves-riders/ The popular 14.3 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes crossing of the, at times very stormy, Firth of Clyde, from Brodick, Arran to Ardrossan, is £30.20. How is this possible? In 2022/2023, the SNP Government ferry subsidy to keep prices down to affordable levels for hopefully grateful islanders, native or settler, was £173 MILLION! https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24276739.calmac-gets-63-real-terms-public-subsidy-rise-despite-drop/#:~:text=Then%20the%20grant%20to%20CalMac,space%20of%20just%20one%20year. There are many mainland villages in Scotland with far … Continue reading Canadian ferry service is 44% more expensive without the kind of massive £173 MILLION subsidy given by SNP Government for islanders in Scotland

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Factcheck – CalMac at 98% reliability for last 7 days with more than 500 sailings a day and 54 sailings just from Largs to Millport on time yesterday

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By Professor John Robertson In the last seven days, Calmac ran more than 500 sailings every day. Reliability was: 25th Apr 99%26 99.627 93.128 99.729 97.130 99.21st May 98.4Average 98% on time On 1st May, 4 of the 10 Arran and 4 of the 22 Portavadie to Tarbert sailings were cancelled. That’s all. The other 33 services were at 100%. On the same day, there were 54 sailings from Largs to Cumbrae (Millport) on a sunny Wednesday for tourists. If there were 4 hour delays for cars, why didn’t some of those just get the bus from the Cumbrae slip … Continue reading Factcheck – CalMac at 98% reliability for last 7 days with more than 500 sailings a day and 54 sailings just from Largs to Millport on time yesterday

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Six ferries ‘down’ YET state-owned CalMac at 100% where it matters and not one island cut-off

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By Professor John Robertson, Talking-up Scotland’s International Ferry Correspondent and Factchecker In the Herald today: Six of CalMac’s ageing ferry fleet were placed out of action at the weekend as a new breakdown ‘calamity’ has deepened. Thirty-three-year-old MV Loch Buie, the 11-year-old pioneering diesel electric hybrid ferry MV Lochinvar and CalMac’s oldest ferry 48-year-old MV Isle of Cumbrae, joined MV Caledonian Isles, MV Loch Shira and MV Isle of Lewis on the sidelines since Friday as a new wave of problems hit the state-owned ferry company’s fleet. Here’s the thing. State-owned and because it is, CalMac has the resources to … Continue reading Six ferries ‘down’ YET state-owned CalMac at 100% where it matters and not one island cut-off