A short Highland ferry crossing will definitely not return this summer despite efforts by the community to save it.
The Cromarty Ferry was cancelled last month because of the closure of its regular night berth in the Black Isle village.
A community group was set up to explore options to save the service which linked Cromarty and Nigg.
But yesterday chairman Jeremy Price confirmed that the ferry would not return because the problems are “too big to overcome in the short term”.
Mr Price, chairman of Cromarty and District Community Council, said the loss of the service was “a serious blow” to the ferry operator and to businesses who cater for tourists who use the ferry.
He added: “The closure of the ferry’s long established berthing facility inside Cromarty Harbour caused the operator to withdraw from the contract. As a consequence, a new mooring and crew would have to be found and the slipways dredged, both of which will take time.
“Every potential and realistic option has been explored, including alternative moorings, but the obstacles are just too big to overcome in the short term.”
Tom Henderson, managing director of the Cromarty Ferry Company, thanked the community council for its “invaluable” work, which he said would help get the ferry up and running again next year.
He added: “It is just a pity that we were not notified earlier of the problem with our established berth at Cromarty Harbour. We were always facing an uphill struggle to find a suitable alternative berth.
“As a Black Isle company, the best outcome for us is the upgrade of the harbour at Cromarty to provide a safe berth for the ferry, currently sitting idle at Macduff Harbour. There may be other options we can examine.
“Our family have other tourist-related business interests in Cromarty, through the hotel and the cafe so an active and prospering ferry service is to our benefit.”
The 56ft Cromarty Queen had sailed on the route each summer since 2002, carrying four cars and 50 passengers at a time.
Last summer it carried 17,000 passengers.