CalMac's new electric ferries face running on diesel for up to 18 months due to power shortage

Some of CalMac’s new electric ferries may need to temporarily run on diesel for as long as 18 months because of potential delays to power grid upgrades for battery recharging, MSPs have been told.

The seven vessels are due to start arriving in 2027, but the Scottish Government firm ordering them raised concerns on Tuesday there may be insufficient power at some ports in time.

A visualisation of the planned new electric ferries | Transport Scotland

These include at Lochaline, where one of the boats will take over the route to Fishnish on Mull.

The other ferries have been earmarked for the routes between Colintraive and Rhubodach on Bute, Fionnphort on Mull and Iona, Sconser and Raasay, Kilchoan and Tobermory on Mull, Tayinloan and Gigha, and across Loch Fyne between Portavadie and Tarbert.

The boats, which are due to be ordered in March as part of the first £185 million phase of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP), will be recharged overnight at one port on each route, including Gigha and Raasay.

The ferries will have diesel generators so that they can operate during power cuts.

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Kevin Hobbs, chief executive of ferry-owning firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (Cmal), told the Scottish Parliament’s net zero, energy and transport committee: “Grid capacity is a problem. We are aware of some issues in relation to some of the ports, which will have the small vessels, and will the actual electricity be available?

“Getting the prerequisite amount of power from the grid to the port is a problem. As one example, which is the complete outlier at the moment, Lochaline has a potential problem.

“That isn’t getting power to the port, but I believe there’s 100 miles worth of new pylons needed all the way up through Scotland to Fort William to enable it to be reinforced to give Lochaber and Skye the amount of power that’s needed in the future, and we’re part of that mix.

“I can’t give you a 100 per cent guarantee that when every one of these vessels turns up, they will be able to connect to the grid. One or two of [the ferries] might have to have an alternative fuel source.

“We’re doing everything we can with Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) to make sure the power is there. But I can’t guarantee all seven [ports] will have the power.”

Mr Hobbs said that as the ferries would have a 30-year lifespan, “if ultimately we don’t have power at a particular port for the first year or 18 months of the vessel’s life, it’s a very small percentage”.

But he told The Scotsman last month that SSEN were “very aware of the negativity that would ensue if we get a bunch of fully-electric ships and there’s no power at any of the ports”.

He said wind turbines were not an option because they did not provide power in calm weather.

A spokesperson for SSEN Distribution said: “We are working closely with Cmal on the electricity capacity needs for its SVRP to ensure capacity can be provided in line with the rollout programme as it becomes fully defined.

“On the specific project where a gap exists between the delivery of new network infrastructure and the current programme, we are exploring alternative network solutions with Cmal to ensure connection dates align.

“This includes time-of-day connections and the use of flexibility contracts, and we are confident on the viability of these solutions.”

Scottish Conservatives energy and net zero spokesperson Douglas Lumsden said: “The SNP’s claims that these new ferries are eco-friendly appear to be yet more spin.

“It’s no wonder that the SNP are failing to hit their own net zero targets when their new electric ferries will have to be powered by diesel generators.

“SNP ministers must urgently set out what mitigations they will put in place to reduce the harmful emissions produced by these long-awaited ferries.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “It is the responsibility of the UK Government to deliver adequate grid capacity, including for Scottish harbours and ports.

“We are working closely with all partners in relation to these particular grid connections, and also with UK Government, the National Energy System Operator [formerly the National Grid] and [regulator] Ofgem [the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets] across a range of sectors to explore options to speed up delivery where possible.

“Cmal, SSEN and ScottishPower are all actively engaged to ensure they are aligned when it comes to the delivery of the necessary shore power and port upgrades for the phase one routes of SVRP.

“A further meeting between Cmal and SSEN to discuss the small number of longer lead connections is planned for early February and we expect to see suitable arrangements agreed and progressed following this.”