​Island haulier announces price hike

The Bakkafrost factory in Marybank closed in August with the company transferring its processing operation to a new facility in Applecross. Around 80 jobs were lost and there were fears expressed at the time over the knock-on effects on the local economy.

And now DFDS – the Danish firm which acquired DR MacLeod in April last year – have informed customers that as of 2nd December (Monday) the price for transporting goods to and from the island will go up.

In a letter to their regular customers, seen by the Gazette, the company’s regional operations manager in Inverness, Michael Foubister, and the Glasgow regional operations manager, Gavin Kelly, explained the decision.

They said: “DFDS is currently navigating a challenging financial climate in the Western Isles, primarily due to the closure of the main salmon processing operation in Stornoway.

“This has created a significant imbalance in freight movements to and from the islands, leading to increased costs to service the region.

“In response, DFDS have actively engaged with Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Transport Scotland and CalMac to highlight the impact on services to the Western Isles.

“Despite these challenges, DFDS remains committed to providing reliable transport services to the Western Isles. However, to ensure economic viability, a fundamental restructuring of our operations is necessary. As part of this restructuring we must implement a price increase effective from 2nd December 2024.”

The letter adds: “DFDS understands that price increases are never welcome news and we assure you that this decision was not made lightly. We appreciate your understanding and continued support during these challenging times.”