Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is facing another setback as the first of four newbuilds being built by a shipyard in Turkey will be delivered late.
The newbuild Isle of Islay, which is to serve its namesake isle off the Mull of Kintyre, had been expected to be handed over in mid-October – but this has been put back to near the end of the year.
According to the Cemre shipyard, they blame delays in the delivery of equipment and materials, due to global supply chain difficulties. As Afloat reported in March, the Isle of Islay was launched, followed by the twin, Loch Indaal in June.
The announcement of the delay comes at a difficult time for the Scottish owned CalMac as two of its 10 major ferries are currently out of action and a third due is to be retired in November.
Another newbuild, the much-delayed Glen Sannox, being built in Scotland at the Ferguson shipyard on the Clyde, will not be handed over until late September. This will require several weeks of crew familiarisation before it comes into service on the Arran route on the Firth of Clyde.
The news of the problems with the delivery of the ferry from the Turkish shipyard came in a letter to MSPs from Kevin Hobbs, chief executive of the government-owned ferry procurement company CMAL.
BBC News has more on the development.
