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Catamarans As Sea Links Way Forward |
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Date:
13/01/07
News
Feature: Islanders See Catamarans As Sea Links Way Forward
From The Press and Journal...
Barra residents are to turn their attention to the study of fast ferries
such as catamarans to lobby for better sea links with the mainland.
Islanders, who have long been dissatisfied with the current CalMac service
which they feel is too slow and restrictive, met in Castlebay Hall to hear a
talk by Alf Baird, professor of transportation at Napier University.
Prof Baird specialises in ferry transport, and told his audience that the
latest developments in catamaran technology meant that a purpose-built craft
moving at 35 knots could cover the Barra to Oban run in two-and-a-half
hours, as opposed to the current four-and-a-half to seven hours, meaning
that twice-daily runs would be possible for the Uist-Barra-Oban route in
summer, and daily runs in winter.
In his estimation, such a ferry would run 75% of the time with no problem,
20% when it would be rough but sail anyway, and 5% when it would be
cancelled, provided the ferry was designed for the conditions encountered on
the route. This would compare very favourably with the current
three-times-a-week winter service.
He assured his audience that although catamarans had originally suffered
teething problems when they were first introduced as ferries 20 years ago,
technology had advanced so much that catamarans and tri-marans are now the
first consideration for ferry companies around the rest of the world. He
cited forthcoming moves to replace the ex-MacBrayne's ferry Claymore which
plies the Pentland Firth with a catamaran. Prof Baird also said that running
costs would be lower for a 35-knot vessel, with the possibility of more
sailings, more carryings per sailing and ultimately less Government subsidy.
Barra's transportation committee retiring chairman, Peter Brown, said that
islanders had been "shocked" by Prof Baird's message.
He said: "Prof Baird said that CalMac were one of very few ferry operators
in the world not to look around them and see what technological advances
were being made."
"They continue to commission ships with conventional 1950s-style hulls, and
usually they are designed to be able to operate on a number of different
routes instead of being purpose-built for the demands of a particular route.
"When Prof Baird told us that a 35-knot catamaran with all those advantages
was possible now, our eyes were opened.
"It was agreed that we want it, but it has to be a political decision made
in Edinburgh. We have to campaign there with a very simple clear message."
CalMac spokesman Hugh Dan MacLennan said: "Prof Baird is welcome to his
opinion, which is interesting in the light of the gale-force winds we have
had in the past 10 weeks and the hurricane-force winds that affected our
service between Uist and Skye today."
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