Seatruck freight vessel MV Arrow joins CalMac's Ullapool-Stornoway service
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The vital ferry link between Ullapool and the Isle of Lewis is to be boosted with an additional freight service.
Ro-ro cargo vessel MV Arrow will join CalMac's West Coast ferry fleet on a short-term charter from today, July 19, until September 7.
The vessel will be operated as a freight service by Seatruck on behalf of CalMac, providing additional capacity and resilience to the Ullapool-Stornoway route.
This will also allow MV Loch Seaforth to provide extra sailings to support Covid recovery at this crucial time when physical distancing rules remain in place.
These have reduced passenger capacity to around 30 per cent of the usual CalMac ferry capacity.
The MV Arrow will take over MV Loch Seaforth’s evening freight sailing six days a week, allowing the MV Loch Seaforth to deliver two additional passenger sailings per week.
The charter includes a break clause, meaning MV Arrow can be called back with 24 hours’ notice. If this does happen, the additional sailings will be cancelled and MV Loch Seaforth will provide the freight sailing. However, customer services will seek to accommodate displaced passengers where possible.
Robert Morrison, operations director for CalMac, said: “We have been working closely with Transport Scotland to investigate the feasibility of leasing extra vessels, and the addition of the MV Arrow is extremely welcome.
“The chartering of the MV Arrow will help provide much-needed resilience at a time when Covid restrictions remain in place and there is high demand for spaces on board our ferries.”
