MV Alfred was built in Vũng Tàu, Vietnam, by Strategic Marine Vietnam at a cost of £14.5million, and launched on 22 February 2019.[1][2] Designed with a capacity of 430 passengers and 98 cars, Alfred is described by their owner as the most environmentally friendly ferry in Scotland, claiming the diesel-powered ship is "more than 60 per cent more efficient in terms of fuel consumption and emission levels than other comparable ferries operating in Scotland".[6][7] In 2020, Pentland Ferries became the first ferry operator in the UK to win a Green Tourism Award for the Alfred.[7]
Upon completing sea trials, Alfred departed Vũng Tàu, Vietnam, on 29 August 2019 and arrived in St Margaret's Hope, Orkney, Scotland, on 9 October 2019,[2] entering service on the Caithness and Orkney route on 1 November 2019.[3]
Isle of Swona grounding
At about 14:00 on 5 July 2022, Alfred grounded on the uninhabited island of Swona while en route from Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope. It resulted in damage to the port bulbous bow and no reported water ingress. There were 84 passengers and 13 crew on board at the time of grounding. Some passengers sustained injuries, such as fractures, sprains and soft tissue damage; one passenger was hospitalised.[8][9]
Alfred was refloated within one and a half hours, and taken to Orkney under her own power under escort of two lifeboats and two tugs.[10] She was taken off service until 18 July 2022.[11]
CalMac Ferries charter
In March 2023, the Scottish Government announced that it had chartered Alfred for nine months to supplement the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet, at a cost of £9million.[12] The charter was due to start on 18 April 2023, but was delayed for a week due to MVPentalina being unable to get her Passenger Ship Safety Certificate in time; she received a temporary one and resumed service on 26 April 2023, allowing Alfred to be released to her charter.
After completing berthing trials across the CalMac network, Alfred was laid up at Ayr in order to carry out repairs to her hydraulics system and make adjustments to her stern ramp. During this time, she was off hire from her charter.[13]
On 11 May 2023, CalMac confirmed that she had completed berthing trials at Lochmaddy, Ullapool, Port Askaig, Brodick, Ardrossan (only the Irish berth), Troon and Campbeltown. However, she could not operate out of Port Askaig at the time due to a technical issue with her starboard thruster. As a result, CalMac initially deployed her on the Ardrossan to Brodick route from 12 May 2023, carrying out two return sailings to Arran per day for the first two weeks.[14][15] After which, she began the schedule of three return sailings to Arran Friday to Monday, and two Tuesday to Thursday. From 10 August, there was an additional return sailing on Thursdays.
During September 2023, it was announced that Alfred would undergo further berthing trials in Stornoway at the end of the month, after finishing the peak summer season second vessel duties at Arran.[16] If successful, she would have carried out the freight sailings there whilst MV Arrow was unavailable and Loch Seaforth was at annual overhaul. The berthing trial was postponed as Alfred was broken down in Ayr with a gearbox problem.[17] Her berthing trials at Stornoway were unsuccessful. On 27 October 2023, CalMac assigned Alfred back to the Arran route for her next period of resilience operations beginning on 4 November 2023, releasing MVCaledonian Isles for berthing trials for services to Islay, Colonsay, Mull, Coll and Tiree.[18]
On 6 November 2023, Alfred's charter to CalMac was extended by six months to last until 21 August 2024.[19] She will also undergo ramp modifications so that she will be suitable for service to Campbeltown and Troon from Islay. Retail and catering options are also being looked at.[20]
On 8 November 2023, it was announced that due to a technical issue with MVLoch Portain, Alfred will take up service on the temporary Tarbert - Lochmaddy route.[21] On 10 November, after completing three services on the route, CalMac announced that Alfred would return to Arran for a temporary period owing to MVCaledonian Isles having a steering fault.[22]
On 18 December 2023, CalMac announced that Alfred would remain on the Tarbert - Lochmaddy service for an indefinite period of time as a contingency measure.[23] In January 2024, she returned to Ardrossan to serve Arran alongside MVIsle of Arran, relieving MVCaledonian Isles for her annual dry-docking.[24]
In February 2024, the Irish berth at Ardrossan closed permanently owing to safety concerns, forcing Alfred to operate her daily services to Brodick from Troon, initially carrying freight only.[25] From 29 March 2024, Alfred began to operate a regular passenger service from Troon to Brodick, albeit not carrying motorhomes, campervans, caravans or coaches due to infrastructure restrictions. A shuttle bus service was also introduced to connect Troon railway station to the ferry terminal.[26]
On 9 July 2024, CalMac announced a further extension of the charter to March 2025 to provide additional resilience. In addition, CalMac announced that Alfred had undergone ramp modifications, allowing her to carry all vehicles except for motorhomes over six metres in length and caravans.[27]
Related Research Articles
Brodick is the main village on the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. It is halfway along the east coast of the island, in Brodick Bay below Goat Fell, the tallest mountain on Arran. The name is derived from the Norse "breda-vick" meaning "Broad Bay".
Caledonian MacBrayne, in short form CalMac, is the trade name of CalMac Ferries Ltd, the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries to the west coast of Scotland, serving ports on the mainland and 22 of the major islands. It is a subsidiary of holding company David MacBrayne, which is owned by the Scottish Government.
MV Caledonian Isles, usually referred to locally as the Caley Isles, is one of the largest ships operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), which runs ferries to the Hebridean and Clyde Islands of Scotland. Caledonian Isles serves the Isle of Arran on the Ardrossan to Brodick route. As it is one of CalMac's busiest routes, Caledonian Isles has the largest passenger capacity in the fleet, and can carry up to 1000 passengers and 110 cars, with a crossing time of 55 minutes. She is used extensively by day-trippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer.
MV Isle of Lewis is a ro-ro ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne between Oban and Castlebay, Barra. Built in 1995, she remains one of only two ships in the CalMac fleet over 100 metres (328 ft) in length; the other, Loch Seaforth, being longer by almost 15 metres.
MV Clansman is a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, operating from Oban on the west coast of Scotland.
The Caledonian MacBrayne fleet is the largest fleet of car and passenger ferries in the United Kingdom, with 34 ferries in operation, 2 on charter and another 6 on order. The company provides lifeline services to 23 islands off the west coast of Scotland, as well as operating routes in the Firth of Clyde.
MV Lord of the Isles is one of the larger Caledonian MacBrayne vessels and operates from Mallaig on the west of Scotland. Built in Port Glasgow, she is the most-travelled vessel in the CalMac fleet.
MV Isle of Mull is one of the larger ferries operated by Caledonian MacBrayne from Oban on the west of Scotland.
MV Hebrides is a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne from Uig to Lochmaddy and Tarbert, the main settlements of North Uist and Harris respectively.
MV Hebridean Isles is a ro-ro vehicle ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne on the west coast of Scotland. She was the first MacBrayne vessel to be ordered and built for them outside Scotland and the first to be launched sideways. With bow, stern and side ramps, Hebridean Isles is suitable for all the routes served by the large fleet units. After 15 years crossing the Little Minch on the Uig triangle, she now serves Islay and Colonsay.
MV Isle of Arran is a drive-through ferry operated on the west coast of Scotland by Caledonian MacBrayne. Entering service in 1984, she served on the Arran route for nine years before being moved to Kennacraig. She returned to her original route in 2012, supplementing MV Caledonian Isles in summer and becoming a relief vessel in winter. In 2013, she started a new pilot route from Ardrossan to Campbeltown, which became a permanent fixture in 2015. As of 2023, she is one of the oldest vessels in the fleet, having been in service for 40 years; upon arriving into Oban in the West Highlands, celebrations were mounted ashore to mark the 40th anniversary of her launch and service on 2 December 2023.
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MV Orion is a ro-ro passenger and vehicle ferry. Saturn was operated by Caledonian MacBrayne in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland between 1978 and 2011, for the first decade of her career on the Rothesay crossing. Later, she also saw service on the Dunoon and Brodick crossings, as well as on short cruises around the Clyde.
MV Pentalina-B was a ferry which operated on a variety of Scottish routes. Launched in 1970 as MV Iona, she was the first drive-through roll-on/roll-off ferry built for the David MacBrayne fleet. She was the first ship in the company's history to have bridge-controlled engines and geared transmission, rather than direct drive. During her career she inaugurated more endloading linkspans than the rest of the fleet put together. Purchased by Pentland Ferries in 1997, she was renamed MV Pentalina-B and operated across the Pentland Firth until the arrival of their new vessel. In 2009, she was sold to a Cape Verde owner.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland, the Firth of Clyde and the Northern Isles.
MV Loch Seaforth is a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne between Stornoway and Ullapool. She was launched on 21 March 2014 and entered service in mid-February 2015, replacing both the former vessel, 1995-built MV Isle of Lewis and a chartered freight vessel.
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MV Glen Rosa is a Scottish dual-fuel car and passenger ferry currently under construction at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow on the River Clyde. She is expected to enter service with Caledonian MacBrayne on the Ardrossan to Brodick route, serving the Isle of Arran.
MV Claymore is a roll-on/roll-off vehicle and passenger ferry currently under construction for use on Caledonian MacBrayne routes on the west coast of Scotland. She is the third of four ferries being built at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, and is expected to be delivered in June 2025 for service on the "Uig Triangle" routes linking Tarbert in Harris and Lochmaddy in North Uist with Uig in Skye.
MV Lochmor is a roll-on/roll-off vehicle and passenger ferry currently under construction for use on Caledonian MacBrayne routes on the west coast of Scotland. She is the fourth of four ferries being built at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, and is expected to be delivered in October 2025 for service on the "Uig Triangle" routes linking Tarbert in Harris and Lochmaddy in North Uist with Uig in Skye.
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