The long-awaited Glen Sannox ferry, recently delivered to CalMac after a decade-long saga of delays and cost overruns, is facing yet another setback. Despite being approved to carry passengers, the vessel still requires a permanent solution for its problematic anchor system.
The project has been a source of political embarrassment for the Scottish government, with costs ballooning from an initial £97 million for two ferries to over £400 million.
The ferry was handed over to the government agency CMAL last week after several years of construction delays at the Port Glasgow shipyard.
Just days after the celebratory handover, however, it has come to light that the ferry’s anchor system is not yet fully operational. Ferguson Marine shipyard managers admitted to MSPs that a permanent fix for the anchor system problem is still needed.
The Transport Committee at Holyrood was also informed that Ferguson Marine is facing difficulties in securing a permanent chief executive, with the interim chief executive John Petticrew’s contract being renewed until Easter next year.
Board chair Andrew Miller said that “10 years’ worth of negative publicity around the enterprise” is making it difficult to find a permanent leader for the business, which is now owned by the Scottish Government.
Petticrew said that a “permanent solution” to the anchor system issue “will be there in the coming weeks”, explaining the initial round of sea trials in February had not identified the issue.
Glen Sannox is currently undergoing trials with CMAL before it is handed over to CalMac, with the goal of operating on the Arran route starting in January.
Officials from Ferguson Marine aim to transfer Glen Rosa to CalMac by September 2025, marking it as the second vessel constructed at the facility by CalMac. Petticrew has expressed his “about 90%” confidence in achieving this timeline.
