MINISTERS are to spend £9m to charter an 'emergency' vessel for nine months in the wake of continuing disruption to lifeline ferry services.

MV Alfred is due to join the fleet from April 18 when she will undertake berthing trials before being made available for service.

The vessel which is at the centre of a crash investigation dating back to the summer of last year, will be chartered from Pentland Ferries who will operate services on behalf of CalMac.

Critics have called it a "panicked decision".

All crew will be provided by Pentland Ferries who will be responsible for delivery of service and the operational, technical and safety management of the vessel, including maintenance, repair, overhaul and provision of crew throughout the charter period. It comes amidst widespread disruption to services because of issues with vessels discovered during the annual overhaul process.

Last month there were seven ferries out of action in one week.

And last week, islanders warned of the threat of business closures as a wave of disruption caused by an extension of the crucial Skye port Uig had turned a drama into a "crisis".

Uig, which is part of the Skye Triangle route, serving Uist and Harris is now to re-open on March 23 at the earliest - having been shut since January.

Mull islanders were furious that the spin off over the extension of the shutting of Skye's Uig harbour shut for repairs and work to adapt the pier to accommodate new larger ferries has meant its normal two-vessel holiday season has been put back by a month with concerns the service will just not be able to cope.

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CalMac have confirmed that MV Alfred, which has space for up to 430 passengers and 98 cars, or 54 cars and 12 articulated vehicles/coaches, can operate to some ports, but will not be able to deliver services in line with current timetables, due to the vessel's design.

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Because the vessel operates 'single ended' - an estimated turnaround time of around 45 minutes is required.

The Scottish Government-owned ferry operator said the primary focus for the use of MV Alfred was to have her available for resilience purposes and provide relief benefits across the network.

The ferry operator said it should help mitigate the impact of disruption or where certain islands are reduced to single vessel service.

MV Alfred, once described as the most environmentally friendly ferry in Scotland, normally operates to and from Orkney.

The vessel was at the centre of controversy when on July 5, it partially ran aground on the Isle of Swona, the more northerly of two islands in the Pentland Firth between the Orkney Islands and Caithness on the Scottish mainland.

RNLI lifeboats were called to evacuate the Vietnam-built – with one person being rushed to hospital with a fractured shoulder.

Dozens more were feared to have suffered mental trauma and physical injuries including fractures, sprains and soft tissue damage.

It emerged that six passengers injured are seeking compensation.

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Transport Scotland said the £9m will cover berthing dues, fuel, commercial charter rate and other costs.

Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth said: “I’m pleased to announce an agreement has been reached with Pentland Ferries to charter the MV Alfred, bringing improved resilience to the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network. This is a key step in our longer term commitment to retain a fully crewed vessel in the fleet for this purpose, as set out in the draft islands Connectivity Plan.

“The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lifeline ferry fleet and better meeting the needs of island communities. Since May 2021, we have bought and deployed an additional vessel in the MV Loch Frisa, chartered the MV Arrow and now the MV Alfred to provide additional capacity, commissioned four new vessels and progressed investment to improve key ports and harbours.”

Katy Clark, Scottish Labour MSP for West Scotland, said the "panicked decision" to charter the vessels was "deeply concerning and speaks to the Scottish Government’s complete lack of ferries strategy".

She raised concerns that the vessel was still subject of a Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigation into last year's crash which could raise health and safety questions.

“Bar the long overdue vessels at Ferguson Marine, it appears the only real strategy is to scour the globe for suitable second-hand vessels or charter vessels from operators with a poor reputation when it comes to health and safety. This only reinforces the need for an emergency procurement strategy, with island communities and trade unions consulted every step of the way," she said.

A ferry user group official said that arrival of MV Alfred was "welcome" but said there remained questions over suitability and cost.

"Extra resilience is needed urgently and there is no question it has become an emergency, but it sounds like it has come at a big big price," he said.  "Operators will have known how desperate the situation and will take advantage in any negotiations."

Pentland Ferries said that on completion of successful trials, the MV Alfred will be based in Campbeltown until deployed by CalMac Ferries.

It said that MV Pentalina will now operate on the Pentland Firth route to and from Orkney.

Robbie Drummond, CalMac’s chief executive said: “We are delighted that MV Alfred will be joining the CalMac fleet, her addition will provide much-needed resilience. “While her design means that she can only operate to some ports, having this extra vessel will help support the rest of the fleet during times of annual maintenance or disruption.”

Video: MV Alfred in action

MV Alfred was carrying out a scheduled sailing between Gill’s Bay on the Scottish mainland and St Margaret’s Hope in Orkney when it hit the island last summer.

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An initial inspection revealed that the Alfred’s port bulbous bow had sustained impact damage when it made contact with the uninhabited island.

While the port bow was grounded, the remainder of the ship remained afloat. The ship was floated off unaided and made its way to St Margaret’s Hope under its own engine power.

Alfred went for repairs at a dry dock in Northern Ireland and returned to the route on August 5, after undergoing five weeks of repairs.