Shipyard delays have hit the delivery of the new Stornoway ferry, Loch Seaforth.
The £42million ship has missed a very busy tourist season and is now not expected to start commercial sailings on the Stornoway to Ullapool route until October, up to three months later than planned.
Problems in installing internal fittings is holding back work on the ship at the Flensburger ship yard in Germany.
The is replacing the present freight boat which carries trucks, and the passenger ferry which takes cars.
CalMac has already extended the charter of the present Stornoway freight ferry, MV Clipper Ranger, to November.
Earlier delays knocked back the Loch Seaforth’s planned July arrival on the route.
CMAL confirmed the latest problems results in a “revised delivery date” of late September.
The vessel is unlikely to start regular sailings between Stornoway and Ullapool until sometime in October as she needs to sail to Scotland and would require about a week of berthing tests and crew training.
CMAL confirmed an “unavoidable delay in the installation of electrical services throughout the vessel” which has held back other trades and services.
Completing the lounges, cafes and passenger areas have yet to be done, and the crew quarters are unfinished. Commissioning her on-board electronic systems is still outstanding.
Tom Docherty, chief executive of CMAL said: “A team from CMAL is on site in Germany working closely with the shipyard to assist and ensure the revised delivery plan is achieved and, more importantly, that the vessel is completed to a high standard. I look forward to welcoming her to Scotland later in the autumn.”
Delays started last autumn after a gale ripped off part of the ship building hall.
Her hull was launched in March, a month later than planned, throwing out plans to have her sailing the Minch this summer.
The Loch Seaforth is designed to have a capacity for up to 700 passengers and 143 cars or 20 commercial vehicles though the actual number of vehicles which can be carried in practice is still being worked out.