Four ferries being built in Turkey for CalMac will be delayed, with the first having been due to be delivered this month.
MV Isle of Islay was due to be delivered by mid-October, but it was announced in August that it would not be delivered until close to the end of 2024.
However, due to a shortage of workers and supply chain issues at the Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard the ferry will now not be delivered until around February, four months behind schedule.
The delay will have a knock-on effect for the other ferries being built in Turkey.
MV Loch Indaal, which will serve the Kennacraig-Islay route will now be delivered between April and June 2025, MV Lochmor, which will sail on the Uig-Tarbert & Lochmaddy route, won't be ready until July to September next year and MV Claymore has been pushed back to between October and December. It will sail between Uig and Tarbert & Lochmaddy.
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CMAL said the delays had not significantly increased the cost of the vessels.
An Islay Community Council Ferry Committee (ICCFC) spokesperson told the Oban Times: "ICCFC has already raised the alarm that a single vessel service with Finlaggan on her own for most of the winter is not adequate in relation to anticipated demand.
"CalMac has said it is reviewing possibilities.
"There now has to be further discussion with CalMac regarding their vessel deployment play for March 9 to March 27 when Finlaggan is due for its annual overhaul.
"Currently, the Isle of Arran is allocated to the Islay route on her own and clearly would be totally inadequate unless working with either the new vessel or a reasonable-sized substitute."
Meanwhile, calls have been made for two ferries, MV Isle of Lewis and MV Isle of Mull, which are scheduled to be retired to be kept in reserve for breakdown and drydock cover.
MSP for the Highlands and Islands Rhoda Grant cited media reports that the two would be sold and raised her opposition in the Scottish Parliament.
Transport minister Fiona Hyslop said the long-term resilience in the fleet had been raised by island representatives, and that reslilience would be added by the six new vessels - four from Turkey and two from Ferguson Marine - due to be in service by 2026.
MV Isle of Mull has been in service for 37 years, and Isle of Lewis for close to 30.
Ms Grant told the Oban Times: "We need to build a lot of new ferries before can think of building additional capacity.
"The new ones on order will help, but we need to have have a plan to replace the rest.
"Therefore, until all ferries that are used daily are replaced we need to keep some of the older ones that have been replaced, as additional capacity."
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