Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, is asking why engineers were moved to Stornoway to carry out work on the MV Loch Seaforth for alleged ‘planned maintenance’.
Mrs Grant is stepping in following the reports that the MV Loch Seaforth, was withdrawn from service for maintenance on Saturday and Sunday. The route was covered by the MV Isle of Lewis, which meant that sailings were taking 15 minutes longer than timetabled and no overnight freight service was in operation over Sunday night-Monday morning.
Commenting, Mrs Grant said “I am advised that a dozen engineers were moved to the islands at the weekend to work on the ferry. The ferry was believed to be off route for ‘planned maintenance’ – ‘planned maintenance’ takes place in dry dock, not in Stornoway which is why I am contacting the Transport Minister and CMAL to ask what is going on.”
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All of us ferry watchers would like to know what was going on and why, but I’m sure we would have found out eventually. You would think that the MSP would have something better to do.
The Loch Seaforth has run a little faster since her dry docking but it may be that some change was decided on at that time and the parts ordered or manufactured. With the Isle of Lewis just back from her own dry docking and about to embark on relief service in Orkney followed by her new posting to Barra, this may have been the only available window to get the work done without impacting on other vessels schedules.
An interesting one and why no freight run on Sunday.