CalMac’s £1m-a-month Alfred charter set to end?

The charter of a Pentland Ferries catamaran to CalMac is due to finish later this week — though the vessel may be set to remain on the West Coast yet.

MV Alfred’s current hire on the West Coast will come to an end on Saturday, February 28, after which the vessel will head for refit.

Following statements from the vessel’s owner and Transport Scotland, BBC Scotland has reported that CalMac was “looking into the possibility” of extending the charter.

The news comes as new ferry mv Isle of Islay arrived in Greenock on Sunday, ahead of it coming into service on the Islay route at the end of next month.

It was in March 2023 when it was announced that mv Alfred would be heading to the West Coast, departing the following month. Since then, mv Pentalina has served on the Pentland Firth crossing. 

Originally announced as a nine-month charter to CalMac, the catamaran’s loan has been extended several times, as it supports the Western Isles ferry service.

Almost three years on from the first news of the charter, Pentland Ferries has confirmed that the current agreement is to finish on Saturday, February 28.

A spokeswoman for the company added: “The vessel will then be out of service for its scheduled annual overhaul period to the end of March. A further update will follow.”

A spokeswoman for CalMac said the cost of chartering mv Alfred had been “around £1 million a month.”

Transport Scotland told the newspaper on Tuesday morning that there has been no agreement to extend the current charter of the catamaran.