Put your best foot forward: passengers boarding Loch Striven at Oban for Lismore on 24 May
The two latest editions of Scottish Ferry News cover movements by members of the CalMac fleet throughout May, June, July and August this year.
Scottish Ferry News is available here. Like previous editions, it is available only to paid-up CRSC members.
If you wish to read this authoritative update on Clyde and West Highland ferry movements, and have not yet joined CRSC (introductory membership for the first year with full benefits: £15), click here.
If you are already a member but have not yet renewed your subscription for 2025-26, please do so now by clicking here.
Scottish Ferry News is an invaluable resource for enthusiasts and professionals who wish to track where vessels have been, what overhauls took place and which routes were affected by weather disruptions and vessel substitutions.
Isle of Mull and Argyle Flyer in James Watt Dock, Greenock, on 3 June. Also visible, in Garvel Dry Dock (far left), is the forward section of Caledonian Isles: the vessel was undergoing investigation into a propulsion problem and two weeks later ended up sailing round to Leith for further treatment
We are grateful to John Newth, compiler of Scottish Ferry News, for detailing CalMac ship movements over a four-month period of the summer timetable when fleet resources were stretched more than ever — not least because of the delayed delivery from Turkey of MV Isle of Islay and the continued absence of MV Caledonian Isles.
The May-June edition of Ferry News records Lord of the Isles’ three-week cover for Finlaggan on the Islay service, the regular vessel having been obliged to delay her annual overhaul at Birkenhead: she did not return to service until 23 May. It also documents Loch Portain’s unsuccessful berthing trial at Rothesay and the continued detention of Loch Linnhe at Troon for damage assessment and repairs following her grounding incident in late February.
The July-August edition logs Caledonian Isles’ ongoing path to recovery, which entailed a trip round the north of Scotland for drydocking at Leith on 28 July. July also found Lord of the Isles returning to Islay for a fortnight, while August saw Lochnevis heading south on the 17th for repairs and annual survey at Greenock.
In addition to the ongoing hire of Alfred for Troon-Brodick and the bareboat charter of Chieftain at Gourock-Kilcreggan, vessels chartered by CalMac at various points during the four-month period were Celtic Voyager (Gallanach-Kerrera Marina), Challenger (Leverburgh-Berneray), Dun I (Oban-Colonsay and Tobermory-Kilchoan), Highest Apple (Fionnphort-Iona), Hyskeir (Gallanach-Kerrera Marina), Ileach (Gigha-Tayinloan), Larven and Miss Marley (Mallaig-Small Isles), and Rannochmòr (Oban-Colonsay).
The above details are just a sample. There is a lot of fascinating information in Scottish Ferry News, laid out clearly and precisely — all of it awaiting your inspection and dissection.
Hallaig makes the most of her manoeuvrability at the Raasay ferry terminal in Churchton Bay on 21 May. This vessel managed a spell of uninterrupted reliability throughout the four-month period under review
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Published on 9 October 2025