Members' Business — S6M-13505 Jamie Greene: West Coast Ferry Disruption and Replacement

That the Parliament notes with concern reports of a number of ongoing issues affecting CalMac ferry services on the west coast of Scotland ahead of the busy summer tourist season; further notes, in particular, reportedly ongoing problems with the MV Caledonian Isles, which were identified during its annual overhaul; understands that, as a result of the loss of the MV Caledonian Isles, the summer timetable for 2024 will be supported by two vessels rather than three as usual; further understands that this has led to a severe reduction in capacity for both passengers and vehicles on the route, as the MV Isle of Arran operates a core single vessel timetable on the Ardrossan-Brodick route; understands that damage to the Irish Berth at Ardrossan Harbour means that the MV Alfred can no longer operate out of Ardrossan, further reducing route capacity, and notes the calls on the berth’s owner, Peel Ports, to work with North Ayrshire Council, CalMac, CMAL and the Scottish Government to resolve any ongoing disputes surrounding port maintenance; considers that the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry is the busiest ferry route in Scotland, carrying 692,518 passengers in 2022; emphasises what it considers to be the importance of the tourism industry to Arran’s communities; notes the calls for all political parties to ensure that Ardrossan remains the principal port for the Arran route in the long term; understands that the MV Isle of Arran is 40 years old, whilst the MV Caledonian Isles is 31 years old; notes with concern the recently announced delays to the delivery of the Glen Sannox vessel to the route; understands that CalMac paid out £454,165 in 2022-23 in compensation to passengers for delays or cancellations, which was almost eight times the £57,822 paid out in 2017-18; further understands that, between 2017 and 2023, 6,302 sailings were cancelled due to technical issues; understands that the age and condition of CalMac’s vessels has led to a deficiency of spare capacity and resilience across the network; notes the calls for adequate and timely investment to boost the resilience of the fleet, including the commission of the small vessel replacement programme as soon as possible and a prompt resolution to the CHFS contract award that better meets the needs of island communities, and expresses sympathy with islanders who are affected most by disruption to sailings.