Struggling to keep afloat
Contender crew face uncertain future
(From The Orcadian dated March 22, 2001)

Orkney's livestock service between Kirkwall and Invergordon is likely to fold within weeks having fallen victim to the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Emergency talks went ahead in Orkney this week to try and avert what could be the end of the line for the Contender service. The Orkney Islands Council and Streamline Shipping Group Ltd are now seeking an urgent meeting with the Scottish Executive to demand cash to keep the service afloat.

The current foot-and-mouth crisis may be the final nail in the coffin for the trouble-hit service - and could see the loss of up to 18 crew off the ship itself, and possibly more in the offices in Kirkwall and Invergordon.

However, the first consignment of cattle since the foot-and-mouth outbreak are due to be shipped off the island today, Thursday, on the Contender, after receiving the go-ahead from the Scottish Executive.

The consignment of 105 cattle is being transported to Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan.

Streamline managing director Mr Stuart Roberts met with representatives of OIC and Kirkwall on Tuesday to discuss the current situation and try to identify a possible solution.

Mr Roberts warned that the ship will have to be tied up and put up for sale unless cash support is made available. He said Streamline intended to give the council one month's notice before ending the service.

"The foot-and-mouth crisis has really been the final nail in the coffin," Mr Roberts said. "We are losing a substantial amount of money on a weekly basis and, whilst we are committed to meeting our obligations to customers, the situation cannot continue."

In November last year Mr Roberts accused the farming community of failing to support their "preferred route" to ship livestock out of Orkney. However, one member of staff claimed the vessel did not carry a lot of livestock at this time of the year anyway, and hinted that foot-and-mouth was being used in an attempt to gain more cash.

Attempts by The Orcadian to contact Mr Roberts this week for a response to the claim were unsuccessful.

The member of staff said they had received letters on Friday, from Guernsey Ship Management, with whom they are employed through Streamline.

"The letter said that under present conditions there is a chance that we would be made redundant in a collective redundancy situation."

Talk among crew on the ship also raised questions over Streamline' intentions for the vessel when they took over the service.

"The feeling on the ship is that they (Streamline) took over us to get rid of us as competition."

Although hopeful of a resolution, the member of staff said that several employees were already looking for jobs elsewhere.

"I think we will get the basic redundancy package - a week for every year you have been there. They have not come up with an offer as yet."

The prime purpose of the route is to carry livestock from Orkney to the Scottish mainland, however no sheep or cattle have been transported on the Contender since the foot-and-mouth outbreak was announced.

Local livestock agent, Mr Steven Harvey, Quoydandy, St Ola, who normally consigns 100 cattle from Orkney a week to Scotbeef's meat plant at Bridge of Allan near Stirling, explained that the Contender's Kirkwall-Invergordon service was by far the most suitable route for his purposes. He hoped that with the first shipment of cattle being allowed to go south today, Thursday, since the foot-and-mouth movement restrictions were imposed, that the system would return to normal in a fortnight, and would help to bring much-needed revenue back to the route before long. Mr Harvey explained that he had used the service nine years ago when it first started and had continued to use it ever since and would be sorry to see it disappear. He said that sending animals south from Orkney to Invergordon meant that they arrived in Easter Ross about 3am and could then be transported by lorry on motorways direct to Stirling and be weighed and graded by 8.30 or 9am.

Mr Harvey also emphasised that it was the "neutral time" on board the ship which counted in the Invergordon route's favour. He described the Contender as a specialised ship, with excellent ventilation and penning, which would be difficult to replace. He added that Scotbeef's customers, such as Marks and Spencer and the Co-op, had been impressed with the animal welfare conditions on board the vessel.

He said: "It is absolutely vital that we have the Contender in service for the next 18 months, until Northlink start their operations. I fear that tighter controls on the transportation of cattle, in terms of distance and times, will be brought in once the foot-and-mouth outbreak is tidied up. And we can't afford to lose any more money from our margins."

Mr Harvey expressed concern at the possible job implications of losing the Contender service. "There are 18 of a crew, 12 full time and six relief crew. There are two shore-based staff; four in the office in Kirkwall and four in Invergordon. I've found it a pleasure to ship animals with the Contender. The crew are good to work with, and the staff are always helpful."

He added: "I suppose we should have fought far harder when David Laidlow lost the subsidy on the route some years back. If Streamline were still receiving as much subsidy as P&O, which works out at one million pounds a month, the Kirkwall-Invergordon service would be very lucrative. It just seems that through no fault of their own, several factors have conspired to make the service less viable."

Operated by Streamline's subsidiary company, Orkney Line Ltd, the service uses the former Orcargo vessel, Contender. Streamline and the OIC formed a joint venture company, Orkney Ro-Ro Services last year, to buy the Contender, and secure the future of the Kirkwall to Invergordon livestock service.

The service was previosuly operated by Orcargo which fell into the hands of an administrator suffering from debts of more than £1.7 million.

The council and the Scottish Executive both invested money to support the route.

Despite a downturn in business, chairman of the OIC's transportation committee, Councillor Stephen Hagan stressed that it was the current foot-and-mouth crisis which could spell the end of the service.

"Loss of this service would create significant difficulties for the local farming industry, particularly if we get to a point in the coming weeks where we are again able to export livestock."

He added: "We must explore all the options available for keeping the service running and I strongly feel that some form of assistance from the Government should be forthcoming."

The OIC are not in a position to give more cash to help in the operation of the service, Jeremy Baster, the council's development director, said.

"The council has always said that it is not in a position to provide additional support to this service, our involvement being limited to the purchase of the vessel and not the actual operation of the service."

Mr Baster continued: "However, as Councillor Hagan has said, we will be looking at whatever options are available, outwith direct council financial assistance, to support Streamline through this difficult period."

The Orkney Conservative Association has called on the Scottish Executive to charter the vessel to ship livestock safely to secure slaughterhouses for the duration of the outbreak Ð by military operation if necessary.

They want the Scottish Executive to invoke emergency powers to maintain the Invergordon-Kirkwall service, which they say is "essential to our economic survival", during the current foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Mr John Firth, Conservative PPC for Orkney and Shetland said: "The LibLab Edinburgh Government has failed to free up Orkney exports through the secure exit provided by Invergordon. Animal welfare and now Shetland depend upon it. Denial of traffic beyond the Orkney quarantine period is likely to bankrupt the Contender, in which the OIC has a stake."

Mr Firth described the situation as a national emergency which should be handled as such.

"Government ministers are paid to provide leadership and organisation," he added. "Let them now earn their keep. Ministers in Edinburgh have and should invoke the necessary emergency powers to charter the Contender and assemble, check and transport livestock to secure slaughterhouses for the duration. By a military operation if necessary."