The £1m-a-month ferry brought in by the Scottish Government to help ease disruption to lifeline services over breakdowns to the ageing fleet is due to be out of action for at least 16 days, it has emerged.

It comes as services have become disrupted due to technical problems with two other ferries.

Gearbox issues discovered on board MV Alfred on September 24 had led to cancellations to and from Arran running into the following day.

The vessel had been providing services with MV Caledonian Isles to Brodick while 38-year-old MV Hebridean Isles, which has served on the route, has been sidelined for months.

It was due to go on sea trials on the route to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis to see if she can be used to cover when MV Loch Seaforth goes for its annual overhaul.

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But it has been confirmed she remains off service and is berthed in Ayr for repairs which is being arranged by its owners, Pentland Ferries. It is not due to return till October 10 at the earliest - when the Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac is due to rearrange berthing trials on the route to and from Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

Video: MV Loch Linnhe arriving at Largs.

Engine problems with 36-year-old MV Loch Linnhe has seen a passenger charter vessel brought in on Saturday to operate on the route to and from Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.

After repairs, the vessel, which can carry 200 passengers and 12 cars, was due to return at 4pm on Monday.

And there has been further disruption to services between Berneray on North Uist and Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris due to a technical problem with 20-year-old MV Loch Portain which meant that it could not operate during strong winds.

The issues first surfaced last Thursday and led to some cancellations.

A passenger charter vessel Karleen Belle has been brought in to support the service while it was confirmed that the ferry, which can carry 146 passengers and 34 cars could not operate both on Sunday and on Monday.

A ferry user group official said that the latest wave of disruption showed the need to have a reliable spare vessel or vessels to support the network.

"The question is how long Alfred will be out, and whether it will actually be able to help on other routes other than Arran," he said.

"The new ferries cannot come quickly enough for islanders, but in the meantime, we really do need to have had a contingency plan that works properly."

Video: Walkthrough MV Alfred

Pentland Ferries staff, which has been operating services with MV Alfred on behalf of Scottish Government-owned CalMac, bought it for £14m in 2019 to operate between Caithness and Orkney.

It was built in Vietnam and can accommodate 430 passengers and 98 cars, or 54 cars and 12 articulated vehicles/coaches.

At the time it was described as the "most environmentally-friendly ferry in Scotland".

Transport Scotland said the £9m to pay for the charter of MV Alfred was to cover berthing dues, fuel, the commercial charter rate and other undisclosed costs.

It was brought in earlier this year amidst widespread disruption to services because of faults with vessels discovered during the annual overhaul process.

The vessel was a the centre of a crash investigation after a grounding in July, last year.

It was due to be in service until the first of two long-delayed and over-budget ferries, Glen Sannox was in service, which it was hoped would be for the summer 2024 timetable.

But further construction delays has meant that it is widely speculated that it is not expected to be ready in time.

MV Alfred was at the centre of controversy when on July 5, last year, it partially ran aground on the Isle of Swona, the more northerly of two islands in the Pentland Firth between the Orkney Islands and Caithness on the Scottish mainland.

RNLI lifeboats were called to evacuate the Vietnam-built ferry – with one person being rushed to hospital with a fractured shoulder. It later emerged that six injured passengers are seeking compensation.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “We are aware that the MV Alfred suffered an issue with its gearbox which resulted in her being withdrawn from service on Monday 25 September. This left a single vessel service operated by the MV Caledonian Isles.

“The MV Alfred was only scheduled for service until Monday as she was then scheduled to travel to Stornoway to carry out berthing trials, which have now been cancelled, and her next operational service has yet to be confirmed. As planned, and as normal for this time of year, the MV Caledonian Isles will operate a single vessel service on the Ardrossan- Brodick route until Easter. Further contingency arrangements are a matter for CalMac as operator.”