vessels

However, the vulnerabilities of these vessels must be understood by those that operate and control them.

“The location of the beluga whales very close to the submarines and the surface vessels might tell us that they are actually part of a guarding system,” says Thomas Nilsen, from Norwegian online newspaper The Barents Observer.

To the north-west is the new jetty jutting out into the ocean, which Mr Bashfield says could be used by Indian surface patrol vessels, as well as the ship that brings supplies to Agalega.

Fiona Hyslop said Caledonian MacBrayne was under intense pressure because of a lack of available vessels - but that she was pushing the ferry operator to consider "all options" to maintain lifeline services.

The west coast ferry operator is facing a perfect storm of problems as it tries to plan a winter schedule without two of the 10 major vessels it normally relies on.