The first of Calmac’s new ferries being built in Turkey will be delivered late, it has emerged.
MV Isle of Islay was to be handed over by mid-October, but the date has now been put back to the end of the year due to problems with at the Cemre shipyard.
The Turkish shipbuilders said that problems with global supply chains had pushed back the delivery date, along with the knock-on effects of an earthquake in South-east Turkey.
The delay is another headache for the beleaguered ferry operator, which currently has two of its 10 major vessels currently out of action and a third due to be retired in November.
The much-delayed Glen Sannox, being built by the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow, will not be handed over until late September and will require several weeks of crew familiarisation before it comes into service.
News of the problems with delivery of the Turkish ferry came in a letter to MSPs from Kevin Hobbs, external, chief executive of the government-owned ferries procurement company CMAL.
BBC Scotland reports that in the letter, Mr Hobbs said: "There have been major challenges the yard has had to overcome in the programme; the war in Ukraine affecting the supply of steel, the devastating earthquakes in south-eastern Turkey, which led to a serious loss of manpower in the shipyard, with many of the workers in the yard and subcontractors travelling to the region to assist in the rescue operations.
"I can report the quality of the workmanship and construction of the vessel is fully meeting requirements, with high levels of activity, supervision, engineering and co-ordination.
"The relationship between CMAL, CalMac and Cemre is strong and we are working together every day to achieve the ships that will serve Island communities for many years to come."
READ MORE: Island relying on ferry 'that should be scrapped' in new CalMac crisis
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One of CalMac's oldest ferries, MV Hebridean Isles, will be withdrawn from service in November.
MV Isle of Islay is the first of the new Islay class vessels, with MV Loch Indaal due to follow next year and two other ships also on order.
They are slightly smaller than the two ships being built at Ferguson’s, with conventional engines and some battery power.
The main Arran ferry Caledonian Isles has not been in operation since February, and repairs in Merseyside will not be completed until at least late August.
Another major vessel, Hebridean Isles, is due to be scrapped because it would cost too much to maintain.
And a third major vessel, Lord of the Isles, is in dry dock after an engine fire.
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