State-owned ferry operator CalMac has pledged to improve ferry reliability after admitting that ageing vessels, technical faults and major repairs continued to dog lifeline services across Scotland’s west coast network.
David MacBrayne Ltd (DML), the parent company of CalMac, said its operations faced significant challenges during the financial year, with ships being taken out of service for repairs reducing the number available to cover routes and leaving less flexibility when services were disrupted.
In its latest annual financial analysis, the company said bad weather had also affected punctuality and cancellations, while it set out plans to strengthen the fleet and improve the information provided to passengers.
Duncan Mackison, chief executive of DML and CalMac, said: “We recognise the challenges our communities have experienced, particularly as a result of fleet resilience issues, and we are committed to being open about both our progress and the areas where more work is needed.”
He added: “Securing CHFS3 (Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3) was an important milestone, but we are clear that it marks the beginning of a new chapter rather than the end of a process.”
The accounts cover a period in which CalMac continued to operate Scotland’s west coast ferry network while dealing with problems involving vessels including MV Caledonian Isles, which required major steelwork repairs, and the introduction of new ships intended to increase capacity and reliability.
CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison (Image: CalMac)
DML reported an operating profit of £10.2 million and a net profit of £2.1 million for the year. It said the operating profit included the accounting impact of leases under the new CHFS agreement, which began on October 1, 2025.
The new contract was controversially directly awarded by the Scottish Government without going to a competitive tender and will see CalMac continue operating the network for ten and a half years. The company said the length of the agreement gave it greater stability to plan future improvements, while the Scottish Government would retain strategic oversight and direction.
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CalMac operated 157,029 sailings during the financial year and reported contractual reliability of 95.6%. It said its customer trust score was 71%, which the company said was on target.
Mr Mackison said the company was concentrating on a range of changes, adding: “Our focus is on strengthening resilience, improving customer information, embedding accessibility and digital improvements, and continuing to involve communities in decisions that affect them.”
The ferry network is vital to island communities, providing links for people travelling to work, school, healthcare and family commitments, as well as carrying visitors, goods and supplies. Disruption can also affect businesses that rely on regular sailings to bring in customers and deliver materials.
Mr Mackison said: “We know that ferry services are about far more than transport. They provide vital links to employment, education, healthcare, family connections and economic opportunity for island and coastal communities.”
MV Caledonian Isles (Image: NQ)
DML said expenditure during the year was affected by the introduction of MV Isle of Islay in January 2026 and the full-year impact of MV Glen Sannox, which entered service in January 2025.
The company also retained the emergency charter vessel MV Alfred to provide services to Arran while MV Caledonian Isles underwent major steelwork repairs. DML said having MV Alfred on the Arran route also helped provide additional cover across the wider fleet, particularly during the 2025/26 overhaul programme.
Future investment in vessels is expected to be central to the company’s plans. DML said MV Loch Indaal, one of three new major vessels under construction, was expected to enter service later this year. Work is continuing on MV Glen Rosa, which is due to join the fleet in 2027, while seven new small vessels are expected to be in service by 2029.
The company said it was also working with Transport Scotland on an Enhancement and Change Plan intended to address concerns raised by customers and other stakeholders and support improvements across the network.
Local feedback had been used to shape future timetable proposals, including services to Islay and across the Little Minch, DML said.
It added that community views were being considered alongside the practical requirements of running the network and the limitations imposed by the vessels available.
MV Loch Seaforth at Ullapool (Image: Colin Mearns)
Erik Østergaard, chairman of the DML board, said: “While we fully recognise the challenges that have affected services in recent years, there are genuine reasons to be optimistic.”
He added: “Significant investment in vessels, infrastructure and service improvements will create a stronger and more resilient network over the coming years.”
The accounts come as the long-term contract places responsibility for operating the west coast network with CalMac for more than a decade, while decisions on funding, timetables and the wider ferry system remain subject to Scottish Government oversight.
Mr Østergaard said: “Our ambition is to ensure ferry services are fit for the future, delivering the reliability and connectivity that communities deserve.”
DML said its aim was to improve the experience of passengers while supporting the island and coastal communities that depend on its services. It acknowledged, however, that the problems caused by the condition and availability of vessels remained an important challenge for the operator.