The return of the Maid of Glencoul, the resilience vessel for the Corran Ferry service, has been delayed once again following a fresh engine failure during commissioning.
Originally scheduled to return to Ardgour earlier this month, the vessel now requires further warranty repairs and parts, with the manufacturer warning it could take several weeks before it’s ready to sail.
Highland Council has yet to receive a confirmed timeline but has pledged to update the public once details are available.
Cllr Ken Gowans, Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said the news would come as a disappointment to many.
“The Highland Council regrets the further delay in bringing the Maid of Glencoul back to support the MV Corran as a relief vessel,” he said.
“This is deeply disappointing, as we are fully aware of the need for resilience for the service.”
He added that work is ongoing to minimise disruption.
“The team will continue to work to expedite this repair and are currently making adjustments to their contingency planning to reflect this delay.”
In the meantime, the MV Corran continues to operate as normal, with full timetable details available online.
Live service updates are being provided via the ferry’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
Travellers can also view live webcams of the ferry queues to help plan their journeys.
The Highland Council acknowledged the ongoing inconvenience and stressed that restoring resilience to the service remains a top priority.
