MV Arrow to rejoin CalMac fleet on short-term charter to provide additional freight capacity and resilience to the Ullapool/Stornoway route during MV Loch Seaforth’s annual overhaul

Freight vessel MV Arrow will be re-joining the CalMac fleet on a short-term charter to provide additional freight capacity and resilience to the Ullapool to Stornoway route during MV Loch Seaforth’s annual overhaul period.

While she is not available for the full duration of MV Loch Seaforth’s overhaul, she will join MV Isle of Lewis in providing relief on this service and will commence operations from November 1 to November 7. MV Isle of Lewis will operate the day service from October 18 to November 7.

As with the previous charter, the vessel will be operated by Seatruck on behalf of CalMac and will be a dedicated evening freight service for commercial customers only.

It should be noted that the charter is dependent on another operator completing overhaul and relieving MV Arrow to commence services for CalMac.

If there are any delays this will impact the charter agreement with CalMac. Additionally, as with the previous charter there is a break clause within the agreement, meaning MV Arrow can be called back with 24 hours’ notice. If MV Arrow is called back, MV Hebridean Isles will operate the evening freight service.

Robert Morrison, operations director for CalMac, said: “We are committed to reducing the impact on our local communities and businesses of our annual overhaul period and are pleased to be welcoming MV Arrow back to the fleet.

“Joining MV Isle of Lewis in providing relief during MV Loch Seaforth’s overhaul period, the short-term charter of MV Arrow will provide additional resilience to the fleet.”

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