FERRY services between Ardrossan and Brodick are set to resume after an engine fault was fixed.

CalMac has announced that MV Isle of Arran has successfully completed sea trials after a fault was discovered in the 40-year-old ship's starboard main engine earlier this week.

There have been no ferry sailings on the Ardrossan-Brodick route since the afternoon of Sunday, January 21.

The ship - which is providing cover while the route's usual ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, is in dry dock for its annual overhaul - was initially tied up in port because of the high winds of Storm Isha.

But while the ferry was unable to sail, the crew took the opportunity to carry out essential maintenance, and it was then that the fault was discovered.

A replacement part was delivered to the ship on Tuesday and, after the high winds of Storm Jocelyn eased, sea trials were carried out on Wednesday morning.

CalMac says that normal service will resume with the 1.55pm sailing from Brodick to Ardrossan on Wednesday afternoon.

 

 

The announcement comes a day after CalMac said that MV Caledonian Isles' return to service would be delayed by more than a month.

The ship, which entered service in 1993, was originally due to return from dry dock this Thursday, January 25.

But CalMac admitted on Tuesday that the vessel won't now be back in service until at least March 7.

A spokesperson for the ferry operator said: "As part of the surveys required for renewal of the vessel's class certification, an increased scope of steel repairs and renewals beyond those originally planned have been identified.

"This will require an extension of the planned annual overhaul schedule. We are engaged with all relevant stakeholders to evaluate all options for the required repairs and will provide an update once this plan has been finalised.

"Up to March 6, MV Isle of Arran will operate the core single vessel timetable.

"Plans from March 7 onwards will be confirmed once we have a confirmed timeline for repairs to be completed on MV Caledonian Isles."

CalMac's statement also hints that there may be no return soon for MV Alfred, which had been providing additional capacity on the route during the Caledonian Isles' overhaul until problems with the 'Irish berth' at Ardrossan - thought to be the result of corrosion - were discovered on January 18.

The Irish berth is the only one at Ardrossan that MV Alfred is able to use.

However there is still no word from either CalMac or Ardrossan Harbour operator Peel Ports on how serious the problem with the berth is and when it might be fixed.

This is the second winter in a row that the Caledonian Isles has been put out of action for a prolonged period after its annual overhaul had to be extended.

The vessel spent more than three months out of action between January and April of 2023 because of damage to both its engines that was found to be more serious than first realised.