Rescue craft to be replaced on Calmac’s largest ferries

● Judges’ ruling rejects appeal against Northlink service subsidies

Calmac’s largest ferries are to be equipped with new rescue boats as part of a £1.8 million renewal programme.

The move comes as another ferry firm lost its appeal over planned Scottish Government subsidies for the Northlink service, which Calmac is hoping to win back next month.

Calmac is replacing its fast rescuecraftandlaunchequipment carried aboard its Hebrides, Isle of Lewis, Isle of Mull and Caledonian Isles vessels.

The Isle of Mull’s boat rescued a man who fell overboard from the ferry between Mull and Oban in May.

Gourock-based Calmac said the craft also provided assistance to the Coastguard and RNLI during incidents, and its ferries had been called out to assist 14 times last year.

A spokesman said: “Calmac has an important role in supporting the emergency services during incidents at sea, one which we drill for regularly.

“This is part of a modifications and upgrades programme of investment to ensure our fleet has the most modern equipment available.”

Meanwhile, an appeal by Pentland Ferries against planned subsidies for Northlink’s service between Scrabster in Caithness and Stromness in Orkney was rejected at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The £370 million support also covers the Aberdeen to Kirkwall in Orkney and Lerwick in Shetland route.

Operator Serco is battling predecessor Calmac for the next contract for the service.

Pentland, which operates between Gills Bay in Caithness and St Margaret’s Hope in Orkney, raised a legal challenge which was rejected by Lord Boyd of Duncansby earlier this year.

It appealed against the ruling, but three judges at the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the appeal be refused.

The firm, whose services are not subsidised, challenged the inclusion of Northlink’s Scrabster route within the contract, arguing that subsiding it threatened its competing business.

Lord Drummond Young, who heard the appeal with Lord Carloway and Lord Menzies, said that at this stage the court had to rely on the ministers observing their legal obligations in a proper manner.

He said: “Provided they do so, any risk to the economic viability of the petitioners’ own ferry service should be kept as a minimal level or eliminated.”