The general secratary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), Mick Lynch has hit out at the “chaotic way” ferry services in Scotland are being run as he called for a “people’s CalMac” to be created.

The ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is already state-owned, however Lynch has demanded assurances from the Scottish Government Ministers that lifeline island services on the west coast stretching from the Clyde to the North Minch would stay in public hands.

Mr Lynch called for an urgent meeting with the new transport minister, Fiona Hyslop, who was appointed by Scottish First Minister, Humza Yousaf.

He insisted that CalMac and Caledonian Maritime Assets (CMAL) – the body which owns the ferries (the largest domestic fleet in the UK) and harbour infrastructure – should be brought together into a single organisation.

The general secretary said there should be a “coherent structure” which would allow for a service that “responds to need and doesn’t respond to profit”.

STV News has more on CalMac whose contract for ferry services is due to come to an end in September 2024.

Scottish ferries union RMT has welcomed the news that CalMac's chartered catamaran Pentalina has been scrapped after raising safety concerns.

As The Herald (also reported) last week, the Pentalina had been taken out of commercial service after the union called for a safety re-inspection.

The union had raised serious safety concerns with the regulator, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, over the modifications made to the Pentalina. 

RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch said: “We of course recognise the difficulties caused to people and businesses by the ongoing failure of the Scottish Government’s vessel procurement programme. But bringing an unsafe vessel onto Clyde and Hebrides ferry services is in no one’s interest.

For more on the Ardrossan-Brodick (Arran) route on the Firth of Clyde click here.