Cheers Islay however I'm a great believer in coming to the table with solutions and not problems. You've pointed out a number of potential problems but as per BCram's question above, I'd like to hear your solutions?

Maybe start by clarifying the reason the decision to replace the MV Finlaggan was taken. Is this avoidable? Is it a safety issue in that an ageing vessel is coming to the end of its service life and may not be fit for purpose in the near future? What would be the cost of replacing the MV Finlaggan with a modern vessel with the passenger and vehicle capacity you'd consider acceptable? Would your preference be to retain the MV Finlaggan maybe?