Ferries juggled as Hebrides goes into dock
The MV Hebrides has been badly enough damaged in Sunday’s incident at Lochmaddy to need dry dock repairs. The starboard propeller shaft tangled with chains from Lochmaddy Marina's pontoon and her hull was also damaged. She is to be moved to Greenock in stages and it is planned that she will enter dry dock at the end of the week, if weather allows.
Ferry woes grow as bad weather moves in
The operation to return the MV Hebrides to service after Sunday’s crunch in Lochmaddy harbour could take longer than expected, and bad weather is now adding to the disruption. CalMac yesterday issued two statements – one updating contingency plans for the routes between North Uist, Harris and Skye, and one containing the first general weather warning of the season. Where the MV Hebrides is concerned, they warned that disruption could continue ‘for some time’ after divers yesterday made an inspection of the vessel’s hull. She’s currently tied up at the pier at Lochmaddy.
Ferry grounded in Lochmaddy
Ferry travel is in disarray after the MV Hebrides ran aground in Lochmaddy harbour yesterday, smashing into the new marina and grounding her hull on the shore. CalMac said that 76 passengers, with 13 cars, a motorhome and a lorry were on board as MV Hebrides, travelling from Tarbert, approached Lochmaddy port at 11.05am yesterday. The vessel was unable to to reduce speed and struck both pontoons in Lochmaddy harbour, as well as the seabed. No one was injured, the vessel's hull remains intact and all passengers and vehicles were safely disembarked. The Hebrides is now alongside and divers will make underwater investigations into damage today, ahead of a full enquiry into what happened.
Forecast scuppers rig move plans
A changing weather forecast has put paid to plans for moving the damaged oil rig Transocean Winner during this weekend. Gales forecast for today and into tomorrow have closed a weather window which would have allowed the rig to be floated onto the waiting heavy load carrier OHT Hawk. With tonight’s forecast predicting southerly gale force 8 winds, the priority now is to keep the rig stable in the storms, while tugs and other ships continue to stand by for a possible move. The windy weather also forced cancellation of a planned boom deployment exercise by the Briggs Environmental vessel Forth Drummer, planned for yesterday. During the training exercise 200 metres of pollution containment boom would have been deployed, to confirm response timings ahead of transferring the Transocean Winner onto the OHT Hawk. A new time for the exercise and for the rig move is to be set based on weather forecasts. Once the timing for the float-on operation has been agreed, a new exclusion zone of 1000 metres will be set in Broad Bay around the Hawk for the duration of the operation.
Long shout for Stornoway RNLI
The volunteer crew of Stornoway RNLI were out on shout for over six hours this week as the 'Tom Sanderson' lifeboat launched to the aid of a broken down fishing boat. Stornoway's Severn-class RNLI lifeboat launched at 3.30pm on Tuesday to the aid of an 18metre fishing boat which had suffered engine failure around ten nautical miles north of the Butt of Lewis. The weather at the scene was challenging, with winds of up to 30knots and a large turbulent swell. The crew quickly established a tow line between the two vessels and set course for Stornoway harbour. They reached their home port with the stricken vessel around 11pm, getting the volunteer crew back to their homes nearly seven hours after launching.
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