Official figures reveal that Scotland's ferry route between Dunoon and Gourock, run by CalMac, sailed nearly 600 times with no passengers aboard over the past year, further denting confidence in a service already regarded as among the network's least reliable. The findings add to mounting criticism of CalMac, following separate data showing the route has the worst record for technical cancellations in the whole network, and come amid a broader row over ferry management after transport minister Stephen Flynn admitted he was unaware of a serious gas leak on another vessel.

Between 1 March last year and 31 March 2026, the service travelled the route 589 times carrying only staff, and was less than half full on a further 8,849 occasions, out of 11,953 total sailings; CalMac said the empty trips made up five per cent of the total. More than 6,000 journeys on the route have been cancelled for technical reasons since January 2023, and both vessels serving it, MV Ali Cat and MV Argyll Flyer, face lengthy repair periods this year, leaving commuters reliant on a single boat for months. Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Tim Eagle warned of a "devastating impact" on the local economy and tourism, while CalMac said the route must remain passenger-only under subsidy rules dating from 2011 and that it regularly consults local stakeholders on improvements.