Loch Frisa (II)

Built in 2015 as MV Utne for service in Norway, this wee vessel was identified as a potential second hand acquisition to help CalMac in their hour of need. An ageing fleet, the cause of which can be put down to many years of chronic lack of investment by the devolved Scottish government, combined with an explosion in demand for travel to the islands following the rollout of RET had led to a perfect storm for CalMac.

CMAL had been charged with the task of sourcing suitable tonnage from abroad to be investigated, with a view to acquiring and supplementing the existing fleet. After numerous false starts, one candidate was identified as available and, more importantly, suitable. Utne was a small double-ended ferry operating in the Norwegian fjords and was on the market, having been replaced by an all-electric vessel. The deal was done in late 2021 and Utne was brought over to Leith where she was drydocked for a lengthy conversion and upgrade to meet the strict UK standards. During the course of the conversion, the now obligatory naming competition was run and Loch Frisa was chosen, seeing off the other options: Glen Forsa and Torosay.

It was spring 2022 before the vessel emerged in her new livery, sporting new name, new bow and stern ramps tucked in behind each of her visors and new platforms to house her mooring ropes - something previously not required at Norwegian linkspans. Trials were undertaken to assess her capabilities with the modifications and she comfortably achieved 10 knots.

Loch Frisa was officially renamed in Craignure on 6th June 2022 and began crew familiarisation shortly after. Her first passenger sailing took place on 13th June and Loch Frisa was slowly phased in, taking certain Coruisk sailings each day. The number of sailings was gradually increased over the couple of weeks before eventually the point was reached when Coruisk could be released to return to Mallaig.

It has to be said that with a capacity of just 34 cars and 195 passengers and taking an hour to complete each sailing, there were many who considered Loch Frisa to be woefully inadequate for the Craignure service. Certainly in the first few weeks she would require the full hour to complete a crossing, however as time went on, often a good five minutes or so could be shaved off this time. Winter time was when Loch Frisa really proved her worth and the doubters were pretty much silenced come the start of 2023, following an almost 100% track record in some of the harshest conditions over the winter - those that would see most of her fleetmates safely tied up.

Loch Frisa continues to go about her business without drama, ably supporting Isle of Mull during the summer months and running for increasing periods as the sole ferry during the winter months (though not without drawing heavy criticism from certain interests on Mull, despite there being two other routes on and off the island).

Spring 2023 saw Loch Frisa partnered up with Coruisk following overhaul delays and the Isle of Mull being moved to the Lochboisdale run in place of Lord of the Isles, who was in turn covering for the Clansman, while the winter of 2024/2025 sees Loch Frisa running the Mull service by herself for the whole of the winter months - this time due to the extended absence of Caledonian Isles and associated knock-on effects.