The CalMac ferry Argyll Flyer carried out sea trials under a threatening sky off Kilcreggan today – nearly six months after she last carried passengers.
The Flyer, which usually serves the Dunoon to Gourock route together with MV AliCat, went into dry dock as scheduled in April.
Since then the route has been reduced to a single-vessel timetable, despite initial hopes that another boat would be chartered.
A CalMac spokesperson said today: “MV Argyll Flyer is conducting sea trials at the moment and the crew on board are being given further training too.
“She’s been off service since April, she needed new propellers as when the engines were replaced around that time, they were stalling when engaging astern.
“A charter was investigated, but the market was limited and it wasn’t expected that she would be out of service for this length of time.”
Replacement catamaran vessels for both the Dunoon and Kilcreggan routes are being planned in a joint project between CalMac, Transport Scotland, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) and Argyll & Bute Council.
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