Holed freight ferry back at sea 30/7/08
Earlier story: ferry in drydock repairs
The smashed Stornoway freight ferry will resume service tomorrow (Thurs) after undergoing repairs.
The MV Mùirneag holed her fore peak ballast tank when she crashed onto rocks in Stornoway harbour on Friday.
The 29-year-old vessel is charted to Caledonian Macbrayne and carries commercial vehicles on for its dedicated nightly freight route between Ullapool and Lewis.
Since Sunday she has been in drydock in Aberdeen undergoing repairs. She went back to sea this lunchtime and will arrive in Wester Ross to pick up a cargo of lorries on Thursday morning.
It is understood the electronics which control her twin rudders failed - at a crucial moment - just minutes after being satisfactorily tested on the approach to her berth. Only one rudder responded and the ship failed to turn to starboard in the narrow confines of the port.
Despite dropping both anchors and with her engine full astern she rammed onto submerged shoreline rocks with her bows almost poking over a path.
The crash startled an early morning walker who saw the large ship racing straight at him.
Though the ship can handle rough seas she is built to carry much more and heavier cargo than is available from Lewis.
The lack of weight makes close-quarters manoeuvring tricky in bad weather.
It means she often does not sail in adverse conditions only because of the risk of damage to the pier.
The broken component was replaced immediately. The ship was stuck on the rocks for about 15 minutes but freed herself on the flood tide using her engine.
Stornoway lifeboat stood by the stricken 29-year-old vessel but was not required to take any crew members off.
The MV Mùirneag managed to navigate onto the link span under her own power and tied up at the port's number one pier.
Divers to inspected her underwater hull discovered the ruptured tank.
A Cal Mac spokesman said: "The Mùirneag has left Aberdeen and will be back on schedule on Thursday evening."
