Scottish hybrid ferry forced to run only on diesel due to battery repair costs

UK news outlets report that a hybrid electric ferry belonging to Scottish operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has been forced to run exclusively on diesel fuel for some time and will continue to do so well into the following year.

The 2012-built ferry Hallaig, which can transport 150 passengers and up to 23 vehicles, suffered a battery failure during a scheduled voyage in September 2023, leaving 40 people stranded and needing rescue.

Officials expect repairs to the battery to be completed no earlier than April 2025 and at a cost of £1.5 million (US$1.92 million).

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had earlier regarded the ferry as a symbol of “everything the Scottish Government is striving to achieve,” particularly with respect to reducing emissions from shipping.

Former Edinburgh Napier University maritime business professor Dr Alfred Baird said he had advised against the acquisition of Hallaig and its sisters as the batteries that were selected for the ferries were inefficient and therefore posed greater operational risks.

Dr Baird, who was also an independent member of the government’s Ferry Advisory Group, added that the battery technology that was then available and ultimately incorporated on the vessels also led to shoreside infrastructure incurring higher costs.

In a report he submitted to Transport Scotland and ferry agencies, Dr Baird explained that the hybrid ferries’ total running cost would be 259 per cent greater than that of diesel-only vessels. He claims, however, that officials ignored his recommendation and even sought to prevent his findings from being published.

Scottish Labour Transport spokesman Alex Rowley said this and other technical failures affecting the country’s ferry fleet were due to the mismanagement of the matter by the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP).

The mismanagement has also been blamed for the much-delayed completion and introduction into service of the CalMac ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa. The vessels, which are still under construction at local shipyard Ferguson Marine, were originally scheduled to enter service in 2018 and 2019, respectively.