Fire on CalMac ferry with 107 passengers halts sailings on Western Isles route for three days

A fire on board a CalMac ferry with 107 passengers on board has led to sailings being cancelled on the route for at least the next three days in the latest setback for the west coast operator.

The Scottish Government-owned firm said a “small fire” broke out in the 35-year-old Lord of the Isles while sailing between Mallaig and Lochboisdale in South Uist on Tuesday.

Lord of the Isles will be taken to Greenock for repairs | CalMac

It caused the starboard (right) main engine to fail, with the ferry diverting to Armadale in Skye using its port (left) engine.

CalMac said no one was injured, with passengers given hot food and drinks when they landed. Transport and accommodation was provided for those who needed it.  The operator said sailings on the route had been cancelled from Thursday until Sunday after they were halted on Wednesday by bad weather.

CalMac said “alternative options” were being explored and an update on Sunday sailings would be announced on Friday.

Seven sailings between Mallaig and Armadale have also been cancelled on Thursday because of the Lord of the Isles occupying the berth in Armadale. However, additional sailings from Uig in Skye to Lochmaddy in North Uist were arranged for Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

CalMac said the stricken ferry was due to be escorted by a tug to a dock in Greenock for further investigation.

Head of operations Finlay MacRae said: “We can confirm Lord of the Isles was diverted to Armadale port after a small fire in the engine room. The fire was quickly extinguished using the vessel’s fire suppression system and there were no injuries, but it led to the loss of power in the starboard engine.

“This was a long night for our customers and I apologise for the disruption caused to them.

“Their safety was our priority, and we made sure that everyone was spoken to individually, so that our crew and port staff could make sure they had all the support they needed in terms of food, onward journeys, and accommodation.

“An investigation is underway to establish the full facts of what led to the fire and the extent of the damage. A tug is en-route to escort the vessel to a repair berth on the Clyde for further assessment and repairs, with more information being provided once available.

“Moving the vessel to a berth with full repair facilities will allow for these to be completed more efficiently than transporting engineers and equipment to Armadale and avoids further disruption to Mallaig-Armadale sailings.”

CalMac has battled to keep services running in the face of an ageing fleet and a six-year delay to the delivery of two of its largest vessels for the main route to Arran - its busiest.

A series of repairs forcing sailings to be curtailed include Caledonian Isles being out of action from January until later this month for major steelwork replacement in its hull.

The poor state of Ardrossan harbour on the main Arran route to Brodick has also forced some sailings to be switched to Troon, with a reduction in frequency and capacity.