FERRY operator CalMac has been forced to cut passengers numbers on one of its vessels to just 45 after it failed a safety check.
Problems were identified with the MV Isle of Mull’s evacuation system during its annual overhaul.
CalMac has confirmed passenger numbers must be temporarily limited to reflect the spaces available on its lifeboats.
However, the BBC reported that difficulties in finding replacement parts for the evacuation system mean the restriction could be in place for "several months".
The MV Isle of Mull - which can carry about 900 passengers - is due back on the Lochboisdale to Oban route on January 5.
A spokesperson for the operator said: "During the routine inspection of the deployed system, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) identified an issue with the embarkation slide, resulting in the slide failing the inspection.
"Due to the failure, the starboard side MES system was removed for OEM inspection and, unfortunately, failed with the same issue with the glue used in the slide construction.
"The MES is inspected during overhauls and the annual inspection completed the previous year (2023) had not identified this as a potential issue."
They added: "Working with the OEM and after an extensive worldwide search, it has become evident that there is no like-for-like replacement available. Obsolescence combined with the design changes in the replacement systems mean that we do not have a compatible evacuation slide to embark passengers onto the life rafts in an emergency.
"It is possible that this could take several months to complete. Time will then be required to install and test the system before returning the vessel to a normal Passengers On Board figure."
CalMac says passenger bookings on the Lochboisdale route very rarely exceed 45 passengers per sailing at this time of year.
At the time the restrictions were brought in, there were no bookings exceeding the 45 passengers per sailing limit.
The ferry was planned to cost around £97 million and be delivered in 2018, although the cost is now expected to be around four times higher.
The ship is set to have its maiden voyage on January 14. It is the first ferry ever built in the UK which is capable of running on liquefied natural gas.
