Last Tuesday evening a second public meeting was held using the internet regarding the new Islay Ferry which is due to come into service on the Kennacraig to Islay route in 2024.
The ferry which is longer, wider and has a deeper draught than the current MV Finlaggan ferry will cost £50 Million plus a further £16.4 million will have to spent carrying out work at Kennacraig, Port Ellen, Port Askaig and Colonsay piers to allow the new ferry to dock.(2021 prices).
The maximum passenger capacity of the new Islay ferry is to be 350 passengers which is 200 passengers less than the maximum passenger capacity on the MV Finlaggan which is 550.
This has caused a rumpus on the island of Islay as some of the locals think that the maximum passenger capacity is too small.
At the Q and A section of last Tuesday’s meeting someone asked what would be the maximum passenger of he new Islay ferry if the current one metre social distancing rules were to become the norm.
The Calmac ‘expert’ at the meeting replied that they had not worked this out and they would have to have a look at the plans of the new ferry to work it the figure.
From memory I think that the current one metre social distancing rules on the MV Finlaggan has resulted in the maximum passenger capacity being reduced from 550 to 217.
There are certainly a lot of seats in the seating areas plus the Mariners Cafe on the MV Finlaggan taped off to adhere to the current one metre social distancing rules.
If one metre social distancing results in 50% reduction in the maximum passenger capacity then it could be back to the drawing board for the new Islay ferry which according to last Tuesday evening’s meeting people have spent three years to date in the planning stage.
In my opinion it is better to find out now instead of spending £67.4 million to discover that the new Islay ferry’s passenger capacity has been reduced by 50% to a maximum capacity of 175 passengers which is no use during the busy summer timetable period plus Christmas and New Year.
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