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The repair bill for MV Caledonian Isles, which has been sidelined from the Arran route since January 2024, has already risen to nearly £11m.

The prolonged absence of MV Caledonian Isles has added to pressures on the west coast ferry network, and had a major impact on Ardrossan where the new Arran ferry MV Glen Sannox is too big to berth safely.

Sailing from the port will finally resume later on Monday with the 41-year-old ferry MV Isle of Arran drafted to provide temporary cover during July while Caledonian Isles remains out of action.

The particular issues facing MV Caledonian Isles are part of a wider problem as CalMac tries to maintain services with an increasingly ageing and unreliable fleet.

MV Caledonian Isles has been unable to carry passengers since January 2024 due to a series of faults that have cost nearly £11m to fix.