Scottish Government-owned vessel operator Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has begun seeking compensation from shipbuilder Cammell Laird for payment of the repairs of a passenger ferry that has been out of service for 18 months.
CalMac said that problems had been identified on the Ro-Pax ferry Caledonian Isles last September following the completion of the first phase of repairs that began earlier that same year.
The repairs were intended to resolve instances of steel corrosion that were detected on board Caledonian Isles during annual maintenance inspections conducted in January 2024. The ferry was taken out of service shortly afterwards.
CalMac told BBC Scotland News earlier this week that months of remedial work were then required to resolve what an investigation has identified as a "deformation" of the vessel's hull.
The operator said the total repair cost has now risen to £10.8 million (US$14.7 million), or roughly a quarter of the 2024 maintenance budget for CalMac's entire ferry fleet.
CalMac said it has already begun taking action to recover some of the repair costs but provided no further details due to the action being, "subject to legal proceedings."
BBC Scotland News reported that Cammell Laird has declined to comment.