Caledonian MacBrayne

The funnel of MV Juno

Caledonian MacBrayne usually shortened to Calmac, is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast. Since 2006 the company's official name has been CalMac Ferries Ltd although it still operates as Caledonian MacBrayne. In 2006 it also became a subsidiary of holding company David MacBrayne Ltd, which is owned by the Scottish Government.

History

The Caledonian MacBrayne headquarters building at Gourock pierhead and a visit from MV Caledonian Isles and MV Isle of Mull

David MacBrayne

MacBrayne's, initially known as David Hutcheson & Co., began in 1851 as a private steamship operator when Sir George Burns, 1st Baronet, operators of the largest of the Clyde fleets, decided to concentrate on coastal and transatlantic services and handed control of their river and Highland steamers to a new company in which Hutcheson, their manager of these services, became senior partner. Their main route went from Glasgow down the Firth of Clyde through the Crinan Canal to Oban and Fort William, and on through the Caledonian Canal to Inverness. David Hutcheson was married to Margaret Dawson who was born at her parents home 'Bonnytoun House' in Linlithgow, Scotland. She was the sister of Adam Dawson who owned the St. Magdalene Whisky Distillery in Linlithgow and sister to James Dawson who were also born at 'Bonnytoun House'. In 2011 Glasgow historian Robert Pool added over 200 letters and documents to his collection relating to David Hutcheson and the Dawson family.

With the retirement of the founders of David Hutcheson & Co in the 1870s, their partner (and nephew of Messrs. Burns) David MacBrayne gained full ownership, and changed the company's name accordingly. It remained in the hands of the MacBrayne family until 1928 when, unable to carry on, it was acquired jointly by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and Coast Lines. Its ships featured red funnels with a black top.

Caledonian Steam Packet Company

The Caledonian Railway at first used the services of various early private operators of Clyde steamers, then began operating steamers on its own account on 1 January 1889 to compete better with the North British Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway. It extended its line to bypass the G & SW Prince's Pier at Greenock and continue on to the fishing village of Gourock, where they had purchased the harbour.

After years of fierce competition between all the fleets, the Caledonian and G & SW were merged in 1923 into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and their fleets were amalgamated into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company. Their funnels were painted yellow with a black top. At the same time the North British Railway fleet became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (which built the PS Waverley in 1947). With nationalisation in 1948 the LMS and LNER fleets were amalgamated under British Railways with the name Clyde Shipping Services. In 1957 a reorganisation restored the CSP name, and in 1965 a red lion was added to each side of the black-topped yellow funnels. The headquarters remained at Gourock pierhead.

At the end of December 1968 management of the CSP passed to the Scottish Transport Group, which gained control of MacBrayne's the following June. The MacBrayne service from Gourock to Ardrishaig ended on 30 September 1969, leaving the Clyde entirely to the CSP.

Caledonian MacBrayne

MV Jupiter leaving Dunoon

MV Caledonian Isles at Gourock

On 1 January 1973 the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. acquired most of the ships and routes of MacBrayne's and commenced joint Clyde and West Highland operations under the new name of Caledonian MacBrayne, with a combined headquarters at Gourock. Funnels were now painted red with a black top, and a yellow circle at the side of the funnel featuring the red Caledonian lion. In 1974 a new car ferry service from Gourock to Dunoon was introduced with the ferries MV Jupiter and MV Juno.

In 1990 the ferry business was spun off as a separate company, keeping the Caledonian MacBrayne brand, and shares were issued in the company. All shares were owned by the state, first in the person of the Secretary of State for Scotland, and (after devolution) by the Scottish Government.

A joint venture between Caledonian MacBrayne and the Royal Bank of Scotland named NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries won the tender for the subsidised Northern Isles services, previously run by P&O Scottish Ferries, commencing in 2002. The ambitious programme ran into financial difficulties, and the service was again put out to tender. Caledonian MacBrayne won this tender, and formed a separate company called NorthLink Ferries which began operating the Northern Isles ferry service on 6 July 2006. On 29 May 2012, NorthLink Ferries lost the contract for provision of the Northern Isles ferry services to Serco.

Restructuring

To meet the requirements of European Union Community guidelines on state aid to maritime transport, the company's routes were put out to open tender. To enable competitive bidding on an equal basis, Caledonian MacBrayne was split into two separate companies on 1 October 2006. Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) retained ownership of CalMac vessels and infrastructure, including harbours, while CalMac Ferries Ltd submitted tenders to be the ferry operator. Their bid for the main bundle, Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services, succeeded and on 1 October 2007 CalMac Ferries Ltd began operating these services on a six-year contract. The Gourock to Dunoon service was the subject of a separate tender, but no formal bids were made. In an interim arrangement CalMac Ferries Ltd continued to provide a subsidised service on this route, until 29 June 2011, when Argyll Ferries Ltd took over the service.

On 14 July 2009, it was announced that CalMac would begin controversial Sunday sailings to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis from Sunday 19 July. These have historically faced strong opposition from strong Sabbatarian elements in the Lewis community, particularly the Lord's Day Observance Society and the Free Church of Scotland. However, CalMac states that EU equality legislation makes it unlawful to refuse a service to the whole community because of the religious beliefs of a part of it.

Business

The company enjoys a de facto monopoly on the shipment of freight and vehicles to the islands, and competes for passenger traffic with number of aircraft services of varying quality and reliability. Nonetheless, few if any of the routes currently operated by CalMac are profitable, and the company receives significant government subsidies due to its vital role in supplying the islands - these routes are classified as "lifeline" services. In 1996 CalMac opened its first route outside Scotland, winning a ten-year contract to provide a lifeline service to Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland.

Various versions of a local poem (based loosely on Psalm 24) refer to MacBrayne's long dominance of Hebridean sailings: Template:Bq Several groups have proposed privatising the service, and there has been a long commercial and political struggle with a privately owned company, Western Ferries, which has run a rival unsubsidised service from Gourock to Hunters Quay (near Dunoon) since 1973. In 2005, the Scottish Executive put the collective Hebrides routes out to competitive tender, with the Dunoon route being a separate tender. Some island and union groups opposed the tendering process, fearing it would lead to cuts in services and could be a prelude to full privatisation.

During the tendering period, the company of David MacBrayne Ltd., which had been legally dormant for many years, was re-activated on 4 July 2006. David MacBrayne Group Ltd. acquired the full share capital of NorthLink Ferries, and took over operations of the NorthLink routes on 6 July 2006. Three operators submitted bids for the block of routes with CalMac retaining all its existing routes. During September 2006, David MacBrayne Group Ltd., acquired the entire share capital of CalMac Ferries Ltd. Thus, from leaving the hands of David MacBrayne 78 years earlier in 1928, the west coast ferry service returned to the fold in 2006, vastly enlarged.

At the time, no bids were made for the separate Gourock–Dunoon route and the service continued as before. In August 2006, David MacBrayne Group Ltd., directed two of its subsidiary companies, Cowal Ferries Ltd., and Rathlin Ferries Ltd., to take over operation of the Gourock to Dunoon, and Rathlin to Ballycastle services. Following a European Commission decision to not subsidise a passenger and vehicle service, the route was again put out to tender. In May 2011, Argyll Ferries Ltd, a newly formed subsidiary of David MacBrayne, was named as the preferred bidder for a passenger-only Dunoon-Gourock service. The timetable was extended into the early hours over weekends, with additional sailings integrated with rail services. Two passenger-only ferries, MV Ali Cat and MV Argyll Flyer (ex-Banrion Chonomara), were arranged for the run. When the service began on 30 June 2011, preparation of the Argyll Flyer was incomplete, and as an interim measure the cruise boat MV Clyde Clipper was leased from Clyde Cruises.

Routes

Map of ferry services in Scotland, CalMac services shown in red

MV Saturn (Satharn in Gaelic) arrives at Gourock

MV Hebridean Isles at Scrabster

MV Isle of Mull leaving Oban harbour with Kerrera in the background

Between	And	Crossing	Voyage Time	Regular Vessel(s)
Tarbert, Kintyre Peninsula	Portavadie, Cowal	Loch Fyne	25 minutes	MV Lochinvar
Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde	Rothesay, Isle of Bute	Firth of Clyde	35 minutes	MVs Argyle & Bute
Colintraive, Cowal	Rhubodach, Northern Bute	Kyles of Bute	5 minutes	MV Loch Dunvegan
Largs, North Ayrshire	Cumbrae Slip, Isle of Cumbrae	Firth of Clyde	10 minutes	MVs Loch Shira & Loch Riddon
Ardrossan, North Ayrshire	Brodick, Isle of Arran	Firth of Clyde	55 minutes	MVs Caledonian Isles & Isle of Arran
Ardrossan	Campbeltown, Kintyre (summer only service)	Firth of Clyde	2 hours 40 minutes	MV Isle of Arran
Claonaig, Eastern Kintyre Peninsula (summer only service)	Lochranza, Isle of Arran	Kilbrannan Sound	30 minutes	MV Loch Tarbert
Tarbert, Kintyre Peninsula (winter only service)	Lochranza, Isle of Arran	Kilbrannan Sound	1 hour 25 minutes	MV Lochinvar
Tayinloan, Western Kintyre	Ardminish, Isle of Gigha	Sound of Gigha	20 minutes	MV Loch Ranza
Kennacraig, Western Kintyre	Port Ellen, Southern Islay	via West Loch Tarbert, Argyll	2 hours 20 minutes	MVs Finlaggan & Hebridean Isles
Kennacraig	Port Askaig, Eastern Islay	Sound of Islay	2 hours 5 minutes
Port Askaig	Scalasaig, Isle of Colonsay		1 hour 10 minutes
Oban, Argyll	Scalasaig, Colonsay		2 hours 20 minutes	MVs Isle of Mull & Lord of the Isles
Oban	Craignure, Isle of Mull	Firth of Lorne	46 minutes	MV Isle of Mull
Lochaline, Morvern Peninsula	Fishnish, Mull	Sound of Mull	15 minutes	MV Loch Fyne
Kilchoan, Ardnamurchan Peninsula	Tobermory, Mull	Sound of Mull	35 minutes	MV Loch Linnhe
Fionnphort, Ross of Mull	Iona	Sound of Iona	10 minutes	MV Loch Buie
Oban	Achnacroish, Isle of Lismore	Lynn of Lorne	50 minutes	MV Loch Striven
Oban	Arinagour, Isle of Coll	Firth of Lorne / Sound of Mull	2 hours 55 minutes	MVs Clansman & Lord of the Isles
Oban	Scarinish, Isle of Tiree	Sound of Mull / Little Minch	3 hours 20 minutes
Oban	Castlebay, Isle of Barra	Sound of Mull / Little Minch	5 hours
Oban	Lochboisdale, South Uist	Sound of Mull / Little Minch	5 hours 20 minutes
Mallaig	Armadale, Sleat Peninsula, Skye	Sound of Sleat	25 minutes	MV Coruisk (summer) MV Lochnevis (winter)
Mallaig	Small Isles (Eigg, Muck, Rùm & Canna)		Varies	MV Lochnevis
Mallaig	Lochboisdale, South Uist (winter only service)	Little Minch	3 hours 15 minutes	MV Lord of the Isles
Sconser, Skye	Raasay	Narrows of Raasay	15 minutes	MV Hallaig
Ardmhor (Barra)	Isle of Eriskay (connected to South Uist by causeway)	Sound of Barra	40 minutes	MV Loch Alainn
Uig, Skye	Lochmaddy, North Uist	Little Minch	1 hour 45 minutes	MV Hebrides
Uig	Tarbert, Harris	Little Minch	1 hour 45 minutes
Leverburgh, Harris	Isle of Berneray (connected to North Uist by causeway)	Sound of Harris	1 hour	MV Loch Portain
Ullapool, Wester Ross	Stornoway, Lewis	The Minch	2 hours 45 minutes	MVs Isle of Lewis & Loch Seaforth

Other vessels

• MV Eigg is a spare vessel
• MV Isle of Cumbrae is a spare vessel
• MV Loch Bhrusda is a spare vessel
• MV Raasay is a spare vessel

Passenger numbers

Passenger Numbers on CalMac Routes(2007)

Route	Total Passengers (2007)	Passengers (2006)	Passenger Difference	% Change
Wemyss Bay - Rothesay	770,316	759,680	10,636	1.40
Ardrossan - Brodick	749,062	735,928	13,134	1.78
Claonaig - Lochranza/Tarbet	54,514	52,393	2,121	4.05
Largs - Cumbrae	750,416	722,561	27,855	3.86
Colintravie - Rhubodach	257,528	264,644	-7,116	2.69
Tarbet - Portavadie	60,460	67,605	-7,145	10.57
Kennacraig - Islay	157,408	152,526	4,882	3.20
Oban - Craignure	596,742	640,426	-43,684	6.82
Oban - Castlebay/Lochboisdale	46,562	45,296	1,266	2.79
Lochaline - Fishnish	130,097	132,897	-2,800	2.11
Kennacraig - Islay - Colonsay - Oban	8,685	7,309	1,376	18.83
Oban - Inner/Outer Hebrides	9,419	9,494	-75	0.79

Current fleet

Main article: Caledonian MacBrayne Fleet

Vessels are owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), and operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd. There are 29 vessels in current service, with ten 'major units' - ships of 80 m or more in length. The largest ship is MV Loch Seaforth at 116 m in length. The others are MV Clansman, MV Hebrides, MV Caledonian Isles, MV Isle of Mull, MV Hebridean Isles, MV Finlaggan, MV Isle of Arran, MV Isle of Lewis and MV Lord of the Isles.

There are 13 "Loch Class" vessels in different shapes and sizes. These double-ended ferries are mostly symmetrical when viewed from the side, with no operational bow or stern (although in official documents the designation of such is given). MV Loch Portain is able to handle Force 7 gales and carry 36 cars and 149 passengers, with a crew of five. Calmac's smallest vessels are the 22.5m "Island Class" ferries, built as predecessors to the "Loch Class". They are now slowly being taken out of service, with only two of the original 8 remaining in the fleet.

The company is adapting to the demands of 21st century. MV Lochnevis (2000) was designed for the Small Isles service. MV Bute (2005) and MV Argyle (2007), both built in Gdansk, Poland, have taken over the Wemyss Bay / Rothesay route. A new "super loch", MV Loch Shira entered service in 2007 on the Largs / Cumbrae route. MV Finlaggan (2011) was also built in Poland, at a cost of £24.5 million. Almost 90m long and able to carry 550 passengers with 88 cars, she operates the Islay service. The latest vessels, MV Hallaig (2013; for Raasay) and MV Lochinvar (2013; for Tarbert), built by Ferguson Shipbuilders are pioneering seagoing roll-on roll-off vehicle and passenger diesel-electric hybrid ferries.