} MV ''Loch Tarbert'' ( gd, Loch an Tairbeirt) is a

Caledonian Maritime Assets Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (usually shortened to CMAL or CMAssets; Stòras Mara Cailleannach Earr in Scottish Gaelic) owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland, the F ...

Limited

ro-ro Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or usin ...

car ferry, built in 1992 and currently operated by

Caledonian MacBrayne Caledonian MacBrayne ( gd, Caledonian Mac a' Bhriuthainn), usually shortened to CalMac, is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west ...

. She has spent most of her career on the seasonal Claonaig –

Lochranza Lochranza ( gd, Loch Raonasa) is a village located on the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. The population, somewhat in decline, is around 200 people. Geography Lochranza is the northernmost of Arran's villages and is located in t ...

crossing.

History

MV ''Loch Tarbert'' was built in 1992 by JW Miller & Sons Ltd of

St Monans ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

Layout

''Loch Tarbert'' is a variant on 's design. Her car deck has capacity for 18 cars. Passenger accommodation for 150 passengers is in a starboard lounge and on two outer decks. A large funnel on the opposite side to her wheelhouse is painted in CalMac livery.

Service

MV ''Loch Tarbert'' replaced on the seasonal Claonaig –

crossing in July 1992, operating this crossing in summers until 2016. In winters, she has relieved at

Fishnish Fishnish ( gd, Finnsinis) is a ferry terminal on the Isle of Mull, roughly halfway between Tobermory, Mull, Tobermory and Craignure. It is owned and operated by Caledonian MacBrayne. It is served by the ferry that crosses the Sound of Mull to and ...

Colintraive Colintraive ( gd, Caol an t-Snàimh) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Once the site where cattle were swum across the narrows to the Isle of Bute, the MV ''Loch Dunvegan'' — a ferry operated by Caledonian MacBrayne — now provides ...

and

Largs Largs ( gd, An Leargaidh Ghallda) is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" (''An Leargaidh'') in Scottish Gaelic. A popular seaside resort with a pier, the town mark ...

. She provided additional dangerous loads sailings from

until the service from

Tarbert Tarbert ( gd, An Tairbeart) is a place name in Scotland and Ireland. Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island. Etymology All placenames ...

to Arran started. In early 1996, she opened the new

Otternish Otternish is the former North Uist terminal for the ferry to Berneray, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The slipway lies 6 miles (10 km) north of Lochmaddy, and is situated within the parish of North Uist. Otternish is situated on the B893 ...

–

Leverburgh Leverburgh ( gd, An t-Òb is the second largest village, after Tarbert, in Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Leverburgh is within the parish of Harris. In 1971 it had a population of 223. History In his 30s, English businessman William ...

route across the

Sound of Harris The Sound of Harris ( gd, Caolas na Hearadh) is a channel between the islands of Harris and North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Geography Approximately in width, the Sound of Harris provides the main sea passage through the Hebridean ...

, awaiting new . During a seaman's strike in 2000, Arran traffic was diverted to the

Loch Fyne Loch Fyne ( gd, Loch Fìne, ; meaning "Loch of the Vine/Wine"), is a sea loch off the Firth of Clyde and forms part of the coast of the Cowal peninsula. Located on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It extends inland from the Sound o ...

and Claonaig crossings. ''Loch Tarbert'' was joined by to cope with the traffic. At the end of recent summers, ''Loch Tarbert'' has moved to

to start a winter service to

Portavadie Portavadie ( gd, Port a' Mhadaidh) is a village on the shores of Loch Fyne on the west coast of the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. The Portavadie complex was built by the then Scottish Office for the purpose of construc ...

, with a lunchtime sailing to Arran. The service is usually taken over by one of the smaller Loch Class. ''Loch Tarbert'' usually relieves at

, however spends most of the winter as a spare vessel. ''Loch Tarbert'' was replaced on the Claonaig–Lochranza crossing in September 2016 by the – the third of Caledonian MacBrayne's hybrid ferries – and she became a spare/relief vessel that winter. In summer 2017, ''Loch Tarbert'' became the dedicated vessel on the Tobermory to Kilchoan route owing to rising vehicle traffic on that route. ''Loch Tarbert'' displaced in the process. In January and February 2022, ''Loch Tarbert'' operated a temporary timetable of two to three return sailings per day from Tarbert to Lochranza, Arran. This was in response to a temporary COVID-19-related timetable on the Ardrossan - Brodick route operated by , to alleviate capacity issues from the absence of . This temporary timetable was extended when ''Caledonian Isles return from annual overhaul was delayed.

References

External links

MV Tarbert
on www.calmac.co.uk {{DEFAULTSORT:Loch Tarbert Caledonian MacBrayne 1992 ships Ships built in Scotland