NOTES ON THE MEETING OF CALMAC MANAGEMENT WITH TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL (TCC) AND THE TIREE TRANSPORT FORM (TTF)

1pm 27 May 2026, Business Centre, Crossapol

Present: Duncan Mackison, CEO CalMac; Finlay MacRae, Head of Operations;  Stephen Wood, Area Manager; Michael Scobbie, Head of Communications; John MacCaskill (chair TTF); Ann MacDonald; Kirsteen MacKinnon; Donnie MacInnes; Dr John Holiday (TCC); Phyl Meyer (TTF) joined the meeting online.

DMK outlined the published fleet roll-out plans with new large and small vessels joining the fleet over the next year. This will improve reliability. He acknowledged that he had given a similar report at his last visit to Tiree two years ago, but he hoped that we were closer to the promised improvements this time. The new vessels have more powerful bow thrusters and a new propulsion system, which should help, over time, create a channel in the sea bed beside the pier. There was, going forward, a need for a new vessel every 18 months.

JMC indicated to the CalMac reps that it is the intention of the Tiree and Coll community representatives to jointly write to Stephen Flynn, MSP, the new Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, urging the commencement of the process for a new vessel for the route urgently. From start to launch takes around ten years. With the MV Clansman being 28 years old and our other potential vessel, the MV Hebrides, being 26 years old, it is imperative that this process starts soon. DMK agreed that this was the correct method to raise this matter, and urged us to do so.

There was an ambition to de-tangle the Tiree-Coll route from Colonsay.

The carriage of dangerous goods on the new vessels is likely to be different going forward, as various exemptions currently offered by the MCA to the older vessels expire.

There was an acknowledgement that the LOTI and the Isle of Mull were no longer suitable for the Tiree-Coll run, and every effort would be made in future not to deploy them here apart from the traditional IoM runs at TMF. The trim for the IoM was particularly sensitive, and it may have been the case that heavy loads had been denied passage on this vessel because of this.

They were still hoping for the Tiree pier and marshalling area refurbishment, but no funding has been identified yet.

CalMac was looking forward to the arrival of a new government-appointed chair of the Community Engagement Board.

CalMac was looking into freight only services to Tiree from Oban. A freight-only service out of Troon for the whole west coast has been suggested.

There was strong support for the continuation of the Coll-Tiree-Barra link, particularly to continue the links between Tiree and Coll and to allow day visits from Oban. Because the Tiree-Barra link was thinly used, there have been considerations how to use the vessel instead of steaming north: either tying up or doing an alternative run.

There was an acknowledgement that two back-to-back evening sailings on successive dayswas unbalanced, and an attempt would be made to change this.

Changing the timetable was difficult. The port of Oban was at capacity. Limitations of crew hours was an increasing problem as vessels were deployed back and forth across the network. Crews usually stay with their vessels in dry dock, but consideration is being given to deploy masters to sea duty if required. A number of senior, experienced crew were expected to retire in the next few years. Training new officers for induction on different vessels and routes will take time. CalMac have asked the Scottish Government for an increase in manpower resources and a standby vessel for the fleet.

Members of TTF and TCC asked CalMac to provide more details about interruptions in sailings instead of just ‘weather’ and ‘technical’. DMK has shown the chief executive of British Columbia Ferries around the network. Their cancellation announcement protocol was worth looking at.

There was a discussion about the priority matrix at Oban after the cancellation of sailings. There have been times when this has not appeared to work. Part of the reason was the unprecedented number of cancellations, meaning the system was overwhelmed. The hauliers asked for better communications with port staff after hours. Hauliers were also being charged for sailings they had been denied. These matters are being looked at.

The priority desk pilot group has not met for 18 months. Mull, Coll and Tiree were diverging in the systems they preferred. The pilot had also been cancelled at times of peak demand. There was an urgent need for another meeting.

The meeting concluded with a representation of the impact that ferry cancellations have had on Tiree in April and early May. TCC had had received significantly more correspondence over this period than for any other comparable period. Small local businesses have lost £10,000s, and even resilient islanders were in despair, thinking of winding up their businesses and even leaving the island. DMK accepted these points; he had heard similar points from many other communities that the company serves. The company would respond, and was hopeful that the additional resources coming through would make a real difference.

TCC and TTF thanked the CalMac team for coming out and for the constructive meeting.

Dr John Holliday, 28 May 2026