The main Isle of Arran ferry which operates the Ardrossan-Brodick route, reveals Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) will be futher delayed until at least March, reports the Ardrossan&SaltcoatsHerald.

MV Caledonian Isles which is undergoing annual overhaul at Dales Marine Service, Greenock, as Afloat reported yesterday, was supposed to be back on the route tomorrow, 25 January.

According to CalMac the ferry will however remain out of action for weeks as it requires more steel repairs.

This will lead to the MV Isle of Arran -also currently out of action - could be the only ferry on the Ardrossan-Brodick route until March 6 at least. (Noting, in an update, Afloat.ie can confirm, following repairs and sea-trials, the ferry was tracked today, with the 13:55hrs sailing from Arran to the mainland which was completed just before 14:45hrs), for further detailed sailing updates, click CalMac’s service status here and information including the chartered catamaran MV Alfred.

As for the setback with MV Caledonian Isles, this is the latest blow to hit the Arran ferry service in recent weeks, given the cancellations due to storms, notably this week and issues at the ‘Irish’ berth in Ardrossan which led to its closure following a dive survey. The resultant impact is on the MV Alfred, the temporary replacement for the Caledonian Isles, which can't operate out of Ardrossan.

With the MV Isle of Arran having to be sidelined too after a fault was discovered on the main starboard engine on the 40-year-old veteran vessel, essential maintenance was carried out while the ferry was out of action during the Storms Isha/Jocelyn.

The ferry however resumed service today as the part needed to repair MV Isle of Arran, thankfully had arrived and engineers worked on the ferry with the sea trials as expected were carried out this morning.

More here on the Firth of Clyde short-sea service route which takes just under an hour’s passage time.