The new CalMac ferry being built at the nationalised Ferguson shipyard has been approved to carry passengers.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Lloyds Register have now issued the final regulatory certificates for MV Glen Sannox, the shipyard confirmed.

A formal handover is now expected imminently, but CalMac will need several weeks of crew familiarisation trials before the ship carries its first passengers to Arran.

The dual-fuel ship was originally due for delivery in May 2018, but the build has been hit by design struggles and disputes over rising costs.

The interim chief executive of Ferguson Marine, John Petticrew, gave the latest update in a letter , externalto MSPs on Holyrood's net zero, energy and transport committee.

He wrote: "We are delighted to share that MV Glen Sannox has now obtained full regulatory approval, including its passenger certification.

"Subject to the completion of the required legal and contractual processes, the vessel will be officially transferred to its new owners, CMAL.

"Control of the vessel will then be handed to CalMac who require six-and-a-half weeks for operational readiness and annual recertification activities.

Glen Sannox is the second largest vessel ever built for CalMac, and the first UK-built ferry capable of running on liquefied natural gas (LNG).