Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 20 April 2022
I was asked during last year’s election campaign why I keep speaking about transport. I was surprised that I had to explain that, without good transport links to the mainland and beyond, islands, wherever they are, cannot survive and thrive. The CalMac shambles has left lifeline services in chaos with people unable to get home for days on end and missing important appointments, while businesses are on their knees because they cannot get the stock and materials that they need. The west coast situation is intolerable and protracted, and peoples’ lives have been severely disrupted.
I will highlight the Shetland case, on which on-going concerns have been raised repeatedly with the Scottish Government. Shetland is served by one ferry route. Our islands face freight capacity issues and limitations on passenger cabin and car capacity on the overnight crossing.
The seafood sector is responsible for around one third of Shetland’s economic output. It generates hundreds of skilled jobs and supports an extensive local supply chain. Findings from Seafood Shetland in 2021 compared Shetland’s freight capacity with that of our closest neighbour, Orkney, which has capacity on 80 scheduled sailings per week. Contrast that with Shetland’s freight capacity of 24 scheduled sailings per week in 2021. Shetland’s capacity is less than a third of that of Orkney, where around 400 more trailers a week could be moved than in Shetland.
The Stewart Building Transport Group commissioned a study that examined the current and short-term future position for freight capacity on the northern isles ferry service. The findings showed that six in 10 northbound sailings are running at 90 per cent capacity, with one in 10 over the allotted capacity. Hauliers are told that there is sufficient capacity across the week, but that does not help to get goods away on Mondays and Tuesdays to meet deadlines further south or bring in northbound freight, including the return of empty trailers, on Sundays or Mondays at the beginning of the working week.
More freight capacity for Shetland’s thriving economy is needed now but, until new vessels are introduced on the northern isles route, the charter of an additional freight vessel would be an interim solution. I understand that, in freight terms, the Aberdeen-Lerwick-Aberdeen route is the highest-earning route in the Scottish island ferry network, generating in excess of £10 million per year. Shetland’s economy simply cannot grow unless there is the freight capacity to accommodate it. There are yearly pinchpoints, such as during the livestock period, so seasonal capacity must be increased ahead of time to limit disruption.
Shetland is host to two new fish markets in Lerwick and Scalloway, which have the possibility to host 600,000 boxes a year. That potential is yet to be realised because of the pandemic, but it could materialise quickly. Fresh fish cannot wait and must be transported as soon as possible, so increased freight capacity is vital. However, the issue is not just exports. With on-going construction projects contributing nationally to providing clean energy and the development of the nationally important space port, as well as Shetland’s role as a hub for the oil and gas industry, capacity is ever more precious.
I have every sympathy with people who live in other islands, such as Arran. Their experiences are familiar to people in Shetland. We must learn from the west coast ferry service scenario. New vessels in northern waters must be appropriate and built or procured in an open process. Islanders do not ask for special treatment, but they ask that their communities be supported and their livelihoods protected. Their contribution to Scotland will be greater as a consequence.
My overall message is clear: island communities throughout Scotland need reliable and resilient transport connections. Greater ferry freight capacity for Shetland now would start to fulfil those needs.
17:20