MORE than a decade of ferry failings on a Gourock-based CalMac service is at last to be ended with replacement vessels for the national operator's current cancellation-plagued secondhand boats.

Procurement quango Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) is set to unveil a preferred vessel option for the Gourock-Dunoon run following a year of work on concept passenger-only ferry ideas.

CMAL — whose dual fuel ferries remain uncompleted and five years late at Ferguson's shipyard — say that work on evaluating energy efficiency solutions for the new Gourock vessels remains 'ongoing'.

Service users are now being invited to have their say on the development process and the shortlisted options for the new concept vessel, with a preferred option due to be announced next month for the Gourock-Dunoon and Gourock-Kilcreggan services.

But passengers are still in for a considerable wait before MV Argyll Flyer and MV Ali Cat — which have racked up around 15,000 cancelled sailings since coming into service in 2011 — are actually replaced.

CMAL's senior technical manager and projects director, Andy Crossan, said: "We are still very much in the concept assessment stage of this project.

"Lots of work has been done on scoping out various options that meet passenger and operator requirements, as well as safety, maritime regulations and environmental factors.

"Now is a good time for us to update the community on work to date and to seek their views on the direction of the project.

"Community feedback will be considered when making a decision on the final preferred option and in the subsequent development of that option."

CMAL's ship designers and naval architects have been working with engineering firm BMT since January to develop concept designs.

The team says it is focused on providing a resilient and reliable service while reducing carbon emissions.

The online survey form can be accessed by logging on to www.cmassets.co.uk/project/gourock/

Once feedback has been analysed and a further technical assessment completed, the preferred option between monohull and catamaran design criteria will be announced in January.