THERE is much to admire about a CalMac ferry, not least the onboard full Scottish breakfast which must rank amongst the best in the country. The mac and cheese is pretty decent too.

Virtually every port they steam into would not look out of place on a postcard and once on board, there’s nothing better than sitting on deck gulping in the fresh sea air on a nice day.

By and large they are on time and manage to navigate the west coast swells relatively smoothly too.

All this comes from decades of experience, knowing what the majority of passengers want from the ferries.

But CalMac is at a crossroads in its long maritime history after several years of poor performance due to an ageing fleet.

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There is also lingering uncertainty about whether they will be awarded the ferry contract when it comes up for renewal........

© Herald Scotland