Nine years after it was first ordered, the MV Glen Sannox is finally set to enter passenger service.
Departing from Troon at 6.30am on Monday morning, the ferry will set sail for Brodick on the Arran service just as its namesake did almost 70 years previous.
Ferguson Marine handed the ferry over after successful sea trials to CalMac in November 2024 – seven years to the day after it was launched by then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in 2017.
Six years after it was originally planned to enter service, the MV Glen Sannox will take its first passengers across the Firth of Clyde despite a planned press outing on the vessel last week (Tuesday, January 7) being cancelled.
Alongside MV Alfred, the MV Glen Sannox will run the Arran service exclusively from Troon as works to upgrade Ardrossan Harbour have yet to begin.
Over the weekend, CalMac said it was still dealing with a small number of issues, including oil contamination in a hydraulic system, which has forced the closure of a mezzanine deck.
The ferry operator says the closure will not affect capacity because of low demand over the winter period.
Duncan Mackison, chief executive of CalMac, said: “Great effort has gone into getting MV Glen Sannox ready for service for Monday.
“It is testament to the commitment of people at CalMac to Arran that we’ve been able to reduce our original schedule for familiarisation and meet an ambitious target for entry to service.
“Launching a new major vessel is akin to buying a new-build house.
“You can move into a new home whilst some small snags are fixed, and we can operate MV Glen Sannox whilst we address a small number of minor issues that have no bearing on the safe operation of the vessel, or the experience passengers have on board.
“We are excited to welcome people on board and look forward to seeing a vessel which will bring great benefit to Arran enter service for the local community.”
Arran’s political representatives tentatively welcomed the news of the MV Glen Sannox entering into service but reiterated calls for Ardrossan Harbour to be upgraded.
The construction of the ferry, and its sister ship the MV Glen Rosa, has been marred by delays and spiralling costs.
Following the award of a £97million contract to the Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow in 2015, the total bill has soared to more than £400m.
The ferry fiasco saga is not quite at an end as the MV Glen Rosa is not expected to enter service until September.
Discussing the reported delays to Glen Rosa Ferguson Marine’s interim chief executive John Petticrew said: “No-one wants to see the swift and safe delivery of Glen Rosa more than Ferguson Marine and work is progressing on the vessel at pace as we speak.
“Now that Glen Sannox has been handed over, it’s crucial that we take time to review our plan for the delivery of Glen Rosa.
“As such, we are currently undertaking a lessons-learned exercise alongside our Scottish Government sponsor team, Lloyds, MCA, CMAL and CalMac.
“Only once this exercise is complete will we be able to provide a final estimated completion date for Glen Rosa.”
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