Lochaline – Fishnish
Headline route information
- Mainland port: Lochaline
- Island port: Fishnish
- Check-in-time: 10-minutes prior to departure for passengers and cars
- Crossing time: 18-minutes
- Vessels: MV Lochinvar
- Overnight berth: Lochaline
Introduction
The Lochaline – Fishnish route provides important connections between Morvern and Mull, particularly for those travelling to and from the north and west including via the Corran Ferry operated by The Highland Council. It is much busier and more frequent than Tobermory – Kilchoan, the other route connecting the Ardnamurchan Peninsula with Mull, and is thus operated by the larger hybrid Loch Class vessel, MV Lochinvar.
The route is also occasionally used for the conveyance of dangerous goods onto Mull if the closed deck MV Isle of Mull is operating the Oban – Craignure route on her own.
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 |
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 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.
The table below allocates the Lochaline - Fishnish route to its relevant Route Service Level for both the winter and summer timetables, with commentary provided in the following sections.
| Timetable/Route Service Level | 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 Lochaline - Fishnish 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 noted in the Merchant Shipping Notice, (MSN) 1877 (M) Amendment 1.
The Lochaline - Fishnish 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 Lochaline - Fishnish service.
| Day | Start-Up | Sailing-Day | Close Down | Length of operating day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 1:00 | 11:23 | 0:20 | 12:43 |
| Tuesday | 1:00 | 11:23 | 0:20 | 12:43 |
| Wednesday | 1:00 | 11:23 | 0:20 | 12:43 |
| Thursday | 1:00 | 11:23 | 0:20 | 12:43 |
| Friday | 1:00 | 11:23 | 0:20 | 12:43 |
| Saturday | 1:00 | 10:38 | 0:20 | 11:58 |
| Sunday | 1:00 | 8:43 | 0:20 | 10:03 |
| Total | 7:00 | 76:16 | 2:20 | 85:36 |
MV Lochinvar is operated by a single mainland-based crew and can deliver the weekly sailing hours within the regulatory maximum. The crew work on a one week-on, one week-off basis.
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 crew generally booked into a hotel or B&B.
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 | 1:00 | 12:18 | 0:20 | 13:38 |
| Tuesday | 1:00 | 12:18 | 0:20 | 13:38 |
| Wednesday | 1:00 | 12:18 | 0:20 | 13:38 |
| Thursday | 1:00 | 12:18 | 0:20 | 13:38 |
| Friday | 1:00 | 12:18 | 0:20 | 13:38 |
| Saturday | 1:00 | 12:18 | 0:20 | 13:38 |
| Sunday | 1:00 | 9:38 | 0:20 | 10:58 |
| Total | 7:00 | 83:26 | 2:20:00 | 92:46 |
The summer crewing arrangements on this route do not differ from those in the winter. Rest breaks taken across the day allow the service to remain within the 91-hour maximum working week in summer.
Route specific characteristics
- The Lochaline – Fishnish route traditionally provided a cheaper and quicker route onto Mull for those travelling from the west and north. However, the change in relative fares between this route and the Oban – Craignure route when RET was introduced, together with an increase in Corran Ferry fares, reduced this advantage to some degree
- The route was historically used to operate a dangerous goods service to Mull when the closed-deck MV Isle of Mull was operating on her own, which continued to be the case for the full winter timetable period after the introduction of a second summer vessel on the Oban – Craignure route (MV Coruisk) from 2016. However, the arrival of the open-deck MV Loch Frisa onto the Oban – Craignure route in time for the summer 2022 timetable provided a year-round open-deck vessel on the Oban – Craignure route and has reduced this need to some degree. The provision for a dangerous goods sailing has however been maintained in the winter and summer timetables
- Lochaline – Fishnish also provides resilience for Mull, often being capable of operating when the Oban – Craignure route is suspended due to weather
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-Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 07:00 | 07:45 | 08:45 |
| Last arrival | 18:23 | 18:23 | 17:28 |
| No. of sailings | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| Time on mainland | 10:02 | 09:17 | 07:17 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Sailing Details | Mon-Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| First departure | 07:25 | 08:10 | 09:10 |
| Last arrival | 18:03 | 18:03 | 17:03 |
| No. of sailings | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| Time on mainland | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 10:47 | 10:02 | 08:07 |
There is a broadly consistent timetable operated Monday to Saturday, the only difference on a Saturday being that the 07:00 ex Lochaline and the 07:25 ex Fishnish do not operate. The 13:45 ex Lochaline and the 14:10 ex Fishnish are subject to restricted passenger numbers if operated as dangerous goods sailings.
As with many routes across the network, the Sunday service is scaled back considerably, with only four return crossings operated.
It should be noted that time on mainland and time on island are calculated from published timetables and may differ slightly from the interactive dashboard, which is based on actual departure and arrival times.
Summer Connections
The Lochaline - Fishnish route is operated more intensively in the summer months, likely catering for increased visitor demand to both Mull and the peninsula. The tables below summarise the first departure, last arrival, number of connections per day and time on mainland / island:
| Sailing Details | Mon-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| First departure | 07:00 | 08:45 |
| Last arrival | 19:18 | 18:23 |
| No. of sailings | 14 | 9 |
| Time on mainland | Nil | Nil |
| Time on island | 10:52 | 08:17 |
| Sailing Details | Mon-Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| First departure | 07:25 | 09:10 |
| Last arrival | 18:53 | 18:03 |
| No. of sailings | 14 | 9 |
| Time on mainland | 11:42 | 09:02 |
| Time on island | Nil | Nil |
The key points of note from the above tables are as follows:
- The summer timetable offers 3-4 additional sailings on a weekday relative to the winter timetable and nine Sunday sailings relative to four
- The 07:00 and 15:15 ex Lochaline and the 07:25 and the 15:40 ex Fishnish are subject to restricted passenger numbers if operated as dangerous goods sailings
- There is about an hour of additional time available on-island and on-mainland in summer relative to winter
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:
- Bus connections at Lochaline are very limited. Bus 507 connects with the first arrival from Fishnish and operates to Ardnamurchan High School Monday to Friday. Return services are timed to reflect school finish times, with an earlier return on a Friday
- On a Tuesday and Thursday, there is a single bus from Lochaline to Fort William via Corran, which connects with the 09:28 arrival into Lochaline. The return service from Fort William connects with the 16:45 departure from Lochaline. These two buses allow a meaningful day-trip to Fort William twice-weekly for Mull residents. There is also a local service from Ardnamurchan High School to Lochaline, connecting with the 09:40 ferry
- The 95 and 495 buses between Craignure and Tobermory call at Fishnish. There are five calls in the ‘to Tobermory’ direction and four in the ‘to Craignure’ direction in summer, reducing to four in each direction in winter. This is the bus route connecting the main settlement on Mull (Tobermory) with the main ferry terminal (Craignure) and thus the timetable is optimised for Craignure sailings, so there can be a wait required at Fishnish for some sailings (including for 09:10 sailing which connects with the Tuesday and Thursday bus to Fort William). There are no buses on a Sunday
The figure below shows onward connectivity (drive times) by car from Lochaline and Fishnish. 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
- Equivalent Tariff (RET) was introduced onto the Lochaline - Fishnish route in October 2015. This led to the average passenger and car fares being reduced by 27% and 48% This can be seen on page 17 of Transport Scotland’s Evaluation of Road Equivalent Tariff on the Clyde and Hebridean Network.
2017
- MV Lochinvar was introduced to the route. Despite being smaller than MV Loch Fyne, which she replaced, this was not a significant issue due to the reduction in carryings on the route post-RET
2019
- During a six-week period from late October 2019, the vehicle ferry service was suspended and a passenger only service operated from the old steamer pier to allow the rebuilding of the slipway and overnight berth at Lochaline
How have carryings changed over time?
- The Lochaline - Fishnish route is somewhat unusual on the network in that both passenger and vehicle carryings initially reduced following the introduction of RET in 2015. This was because the scale of fares reduction on the Oban - Craignure route was larger and there was something of a substitution effect, perhaps heightened by a two-vessel service on Oban – Craignure from summer 2016. Passenger and vehicle carryings in 2019 were therefore only 5% up on their 2014 level, a much smaller increase that witnessed elsewhere in the network
- The same issue also led to a sharp reduction in CVs carried, down 28% between 2014 and 2019. The reclassification of the length at which a vehicle is defined as ‘commercial’ from five metres to six metres when RET was introduced will also have contributed to the reduction in CV traffic, as this route is well-suited to van-based travel
- Carryings have however recovered strongly post-pandemic, with passenger carryings in 2022 at 108% of their 2019 level and car carryings at 121%
- It should be noted that carryings on the Lochaline – Fishnish route are heavily influenced by the Oban – Craignure route. When the latter route is e.g., suspended or where there are capacity constraints, vehicles will often route via Lochaline – Fishnish instead
How has reliability and punctuality changed over time?
- As a relatively sheltered route in the Sound of Mull, cancellations and delays are not a major issue, generally around 2% per annum combined
- In the last four years, cancellations have not exceeded 1%
Why are sailings cancelled?
- Adverse weather is the main reason for cancelled services, albeit these are relatively few in number. In 2022, fewer than 25 out of over 8,500 sailings were cancelled
- There have been a handful of sailings cancelled each year as a result of mechanical problems
Why are sailings delayed?
- Delays are similarly relatively few in number. The main cause in most years is a knock-on delay from a previous sailing, which is unsurprising on a frequent route with short turnaround times
How many days per year do services operate to timetable?
- Almost ninein every ten sailing days have operated to timetable (i.e., all sailings on that day arrived on time) over the period 2017-2022
- As noted above, the Lochaline - Fishnish route is intensively operated, and therefore a better measure here is the percentage of individual sailings operated to time. This has generally been around 98%-99% over the period 2014-2022. With 28 single sailings on a summer weekday, this is a very high level of punctuality
How often has the vehicle deck been full or nearly full?
2014-2022
- Vehicle deck capacity is not routinely a problem on this route
- The above said, the proportion of sailings where the car deck is 75% or greater occupied has been steadily increasing since the pandemic. In 2022, around 15% of sailings had a vehicle deck occupancy of 75% of greater, with around 9% of sailings effectively full
2022 by month
- As would be expected given the high tourism volumes on Mull and the summer capacity pressures on the Oban – Craignure route, vehicle deck utilisation on the Lochaline – Fishnish route is highest in the summer timetable period
- Over the period May to July and in October, around a fifth of sailings had a vehicle deck utilisation of 75% of greater, with around one tenth effectively full. August is the peak month, where around a fifth of sailings are effectively full and a third have a utilisation of 75% of greater
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. Given the relative youth of MV Lochinvar, it is likely that she would be cascaded elsewhere in the event of a new vessel being introduced.