Fionnphort – Iona
Headline route information
- Mainland (Mull) port: Fionnphort
- Island port: Iona
- Check-in-time: 10-minutes prior to departure for passengers and cars
- Crossing time: 10-minutes
- Vessels: MV Loch Buie
- Overnight berth: Bull Hole
Introduction
The Fionnphort – Iona route is one of the busiest ‘Small Vessel’ routes on the network in terms of passenger carryings, at least in the summer months, conveying visitors to the historic island of Iona. Many of the passengers visiting Iona arrive at Fionnphort in coaches or service buses. The route is served year-round by its dedicated vessel, MV Loch Buie.
A particular feature of this route is that the tidal race through the Sound of Iona means that the vessel cannot lie at either Fionnphort or Iona slipways overnight. She therefore berths overnight in a channel known as Bull Hole, situated between Fionnphort and Kintra, requiring a positioning run (‘dead leg’) at the start and end of the operating day.
Step 1: Route Service Level
The table below sets out the incremental ‘Route Service Levels’ which have been developed for this methodology:
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Shared single vessel, single crewed | Several routes in Orkney including: Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre; Stromness - Graemsay / Hoy; and Houton - Lyness / Flotta |
| B | Shared single vessel, with more than a single crew | Uig - Tarbert / Lochmaddy (summer, currently) |
| C | Dedicated single vessel, single crewed | Various 'small vessel' routes in the CHFS network, e.g., Sconser - Raasay, Tayinloan - Gigha etc |
| D | Dedicated single vessel with more than a single crew | Colintraive - Rhubodach, which uses a shift system to offer an extended operating day |
| E | Two dedicated vessels, each with a single crew | There are no routes with this operating model currently, Wemyss Bay - Rothesay being the closest |
| F | Two dedicated vessels, with one operating with more than a single crew | Several routes on the Shetland inter-island network, e.g., Symbister - Laxo / Vidlin |
| G | Two dedicated vessels, with both operating with more than a single crew | CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) Gourock - Dunoon route |
Please note, the operating day of a single crewed vessel is limited to the maximum hours that can be delivered by a single crew within the hours of work regulations and crew contractual agreements. More than a ‘single crew’ is where a small number of additional crew are added to the complement to extend the operating day. However, this falls short of a full extra crew.
Where the table refers to ‘more than a single crew’ (Levels B, D, F and G), this could be a small additional crew complement to extend the day or a full second crew. The crewing model will be described in the narrative which follows.
The table below allocates the Fionnphort - Iona route to its relevant Route Service Level for both the winter and summer timetables, with commentary provided in the following sections.
| Timetable/Route Service Levels | Level A | Level B | Level C | Level D | Level E | Level F | Level G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Summer | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Categorisation of waters
The Fionnphort - Iona route operates in ‘open seas’ and thus is governed by The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Hours of Work) Regulations 2018. The provisions of this legislation are covered in Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1877.
The key stipulations of MSN 1877 are as follows:
- On a sea-going vessel, the minimum hours of rest are:
- 10-hours in any 24-hour period
- 77-hours in any seven-day period (i.e., a maximum 91-hour week)
- The 10-hours of rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one of which is to be at least 6-hours in length
- It is also noted that, where a seafarer whose normal period of rest on board a ship is disturbed by a call-out, they should have a period of compensatory rest, as per the Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1877 (M) Amendment 1
The Fionnphort - Iona route is operated by ships from the ‘Small Vessel’ fleet, with crew living ashore.
Length of Operating Day
Winter
The table below summarises the length of the operating day and week for the Fionnphort – Iona service:
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 0:40 | 12:15 | 0:40 | 13:35 |
| Tuesday | 0:40 | 11:25 | 0:40 | 12:45 |
| Wednesday | 0:40 | 11:25 | 0:40 | 12:45 |
| Thursday | 0:40 | 11:25 | 0:40 | 12:45 |
| Friday | 0:40 | 11:25 | 0:40 | 12:45 |
| Saturday | 0:40 | 11:25 | 0:40 | 12:45 |
| Sunday | 0:40 | 9:40 | 0:40 | 11:00 |
| Total | 4:40 | 79:00 | 4:40 | 88:20 |
MV Loch Buie is operated by a single crew and can deliver the weekly sailing hours within the regulatory maximum. The crew work on a one-week on, one-week off rota.
For ‘core’ (i.e., route) crew, it is their responsibility to find local accommodation. CFL provides an allowance for pool crew when they have to overnight away from home. There are very few ‘boatman’s houses’ remaining on the network, with pool crew generally booked into a hotel or B&B (or in some cases using a motorhome or caravan).
Summer
The table below summarises the length of the operating day and week:
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 0:40 | 12:30 | 0:40 | 13:50 |
| Tuesday | 0:40 | 11:55 | 0:40 | 13:15 |
| Wednesday | 0:40 | 11:55 | 0:40 | 13:15 |
| Thursday | 0:40 | 11:55 | 0:40 | 13:15 |
| Friday | 0:40 | 11:55 | 0:40 | 13:15 |
| Saturday | 0:40 | 11:55 | 0:40 | 13:15 |
| Sunday | 0:40 | 9:50 | 0:40 | 11:10 |
| Total | 4:40 | 81:55 | 4:40 | 91:15 |
The winter crewing arrangement is the same as the summer, with a single shore-based crew delivering the timetable within the regulation hours (allowing for breaks during the day).
Route specific characteristics
- As noted in the introductory section, MV Loch Buie overnights at Bull Hole, and thus a positioning run must be undertaken at the start and end of the day. This reduces the number of hours in which the service can be operated and accounts for the longer start-up and close-down time relative to other Loch Class routes
- Summer passenger carryings on the route are very high, primarily coach passengers bussed from Craignure to visit
- A permit is required for any passenger looking to take their vehicle onto the island which means vehicle carryings are very low compared to passenger numbers. There is significant parking available for car-based visitors at Fionnphort, which is offered on a ‘Pay and Display’ basis
- The Sound of Iona is exposed to southerly and south-westerly winds, which can cause a significant swell given the water depth in the Sound. This can heighten the risk of disruption to services
Step 2: Analysis of connectivity
This section summarises headline connectivity in terms of the number of ferry connections provided and time on-mainland and on-island. The interactive dashboard includes further detailed connectivity analysis, including information related to onward connectivity.
Winter Connections
The tables below summarise the first departure, last arrival, number of connections per day and time on mainland / island:
| Sailing Details | Mon | Tue-Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 08:45 | 08:45 | 08:45 | 08:45 |
| Last arrival | 18:25 | 18:25 | 18:25 | 18:25 |
| No. of sailings | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Time on mainland (Mull) | 11:40 | 10:50 | 10:50 | 09:15 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Sailing Details | Mon | Tue-Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 06:10 | 07:00 | 07:00 | 09:00 |
| Last arrival | 18:10 | 18:10 | 18:10 | 18:10 |
| No. of sailings | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
| Time on mainland (Mull) | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 09:20 | 09:20 | 09:20 | 09:20 |
The key points of note from the above tables are as follows:
- There is a broadly consistent timetable on the Fionnphort – Iona route across the week, although there are minor variations in the timetable between a Monday, Tuesday – Friday and Saturday. It is understood that the earlier first departure from Iona on a Monday is to facilitate children getting to school in Oban, where they board for the week
- As with many of the ‘Small Vessel’ routes in winter, the service is significantly reduced on a Sunday, in this case operating at circa half its weekday frequency
- It is notable from the above tables that there are more sailings from Iona than Fionnphort Monday to Saturday. This is because the vessel does not overnight at either slipway and therefore positions to Iona for the first sailing of the morning but concludes the operating day at Fionnphort
- It should be noted that some sailings, particularly Sunday sailings, operate on a request basis so the number of daily connections may on occasions be less than that specified in the tables
- It should be noted that time on mainland and time on island are calculated from published timetables.
Summer Connections
Given the high volume of passenger traffic on the Fionnphort – Iona route in the summer, it operates a standard morning and late afternoon timetable but, between circa 12:00 and 16:00, it operates a ‘frequent’ (likely an on-demand or shuttle basis) service.
The tables below summarise the first departure, last arrival, number of connections per day and time on mainland / island. It should be noted that the exact number of connections per day will vary based on the intensity of operation between circa 12:00 and 16:00. Time on mainland and time on island are calculated from published timetables
| Sailing Details | Mon | Tue-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 08:35 | 08:35 | 08:35 |
| Last arrival | 18:40 | 18:40 | 18:25 |
| No. of sailings | Frequent | Frequent | Frequent |
| Time on mainland (Mull) | 11:55 | 11:20 | 09:00 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Sailing Details | Mon | Tue-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 06:10 | 06:45 | 08:50 |
| Last arrival | 18:25 | 18:25 | 18:10 |
| No. of sailings | Frequent | Frequent | Frequent |
| Time on mainland (Mull) | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 09:45 | 09:45 | 09:30 |
The summer timetable is operated on a very frequent basis in the middle of the day. It is worth noting again that there are more sailings from Iona to Fionnphort than vice versa for the reasons outlined in relation to the winter timetable.
Connecting public transport
The interactive dashboard incorporates a detailed breakdown of onward connectivity from all ports on the network, including connecting bus and rail services and contour-based journey time mapping. Key headlines include:
- West Coast Motors operates three buses per day from Fionnphort to Craignure in summer and two in winter. These bus services are timed to meet with the Oban – Craignure ferry in both directions
- There is an additional return Craignure – Fionnphort bus service very early on a Monday to support weekly school travel to Oban High School
The figure below shows onward connectivity (drive times) by car from Fionnphort (it should be noted that all destinations are reachable within 30 minutes’ drive on Iona). This is broken down to journey times of 0 minutes (in blue), 1-30 minutes (in green), 31-60 minutes (in yellow), 61-90 minutes (in amber) and 91-120 minutes (in red):
Step 3: Carryings, capacity utilisation and performance
This section sets out the key route headlines with regards to carryings, capacity utilisation and performance – described in the form of answers to questions. The data / charts underlying this commentary are included in Appendix A, and detailed route specific data, including sailing-by-sailing analysis, is provided in the interactive dashboard. The appendix covers the period to the end of calendar year 2022, as a full year of 2023 sailing-by-sailing data was not available at the time of its production.
What have been the key supply-side changes since 2014?
In order to understand recent route trends with regards to carryings, capacity utilisation and performance, it is important to record the primary supply-side changes over the last decade or so.
2015
- Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) was introduced onto the Fionnphort route in October 2015. This led to the average passenger and car fares being reduced by 39% and 17% respectively. This can be seen on page 17 of Transport Scotland’s Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff on the Clyde and Hebridean Network.
How have carryings changed over time?
- Given the requirement for a permit to take a vehicle onto Iona, coach carryings on this route are negligible and only 8,471 cars were carried in 2022 relative 204,623 passengers
- Passenger carryings had been growing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 9% between 2014 and 2019. However, passenger numbers have not fully recovered from the pandemic, standing at only 84% of their 2019 level in 2022
How has reliability and punctuality changed over time?
- Cancellations on this route have been relatively steady over time, generally at 5% or less. There was a significant increase in cancellations in 2020 but this was due to a reduction in sailings during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Delays are not a major issue on this route and have been fairly consistent over time
Why are sailings cancelled?
- Adverse weather accounts for almost all cancellations on this route, reflecting the challenging operating conditions in the Sound of Iona
Why are sailings delayed?
- The majority of delays are attributable to late traffic, with the ferry being held to connect with the Oban – Craignure service where required
- The only other major cause of delay is ‘knock-on delay’ from the previous sailing. This will likely reflect both the above point and potential delays associated with high passenger volumes in the summer
How many days per year do services operate to timetable?
- There is some variability around the number of days that operate to timetable. For example, 80% of days in 2017 operated to timetable, whereas this figure was 58% in 2022. This is however unsurprising given the large number of sailings operated on the route (over 8,000 in 2022)
- In contrast, over 90% of sailings operate on time each year
How often has the vehicle deck been full or nearly full?
- Vehicle deck capacity is not an issue on this route given the requirement to have a permit to take a vehicle onto the island
- It is understood that, on occasional peak summer days, passenger capacity on a small number of sailings can be pressured by coach tours. However, given the high frequency of the service, this is not a particular problem outwith relatively limited waiting facilities in Fionnphort
Forthcoming Changes
It is understood that this route is part of the CMAL Small Vessels Replacement Programme (SVRP), a large-scale procurement and replacement programme for the existing Loch Class fleet. The timing of new vessels being introduced is unknown at present.
Argyll and Bute Council is also currently pursuing a project for new breakwaters at Iona and Fionnphort which would allow MV Loch Buie to lie in the island rather than at Bull Hole, removing the morning and evening ‘dead leg’. In April 2024, tender responses were received and assessed, but works are currently on standby whilst land acquisition and consenting is finalised.