Last minute snags on the delayed and over budget MV Glen Sannox ferry mean one of its decks will be closed on its official launch on Monday 13th January.
The long-awaited vessel, which will enter service and begin carrying passengers tomorrow, is one of two major ferries being constructed at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow.
The ships are due to cost £360million – compared to an original estimate of £90million.
The Glen Sannox ferry under construction at Ferguson Marine shipyard, Port Glasgow, on the Clyde
(Image: DAILY RECORD)
Despite being three years delayed, CalMac said it is still dealing with a small number of issues on Glen Sannox, including oil contamination in a hydraulic system which has forced the closure of a mezzanine deck.
The ferry operator insists 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.”
Originally due for delivery in 2018, the ferry and the 3,000-tonne sister ship Glen Rosa were first ordered in 2015 and have endured a saga of costly delays and technical problems.
The cost of building both vessels has spiralled and the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow where they have been built was nationalised during the process.
Glen Sannox will serve Arran and operate from Troon, South Ayrshire, with the Caledonian Isles ferry forming the other part of a two-vessel service to the island from Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, from March 28.
Ferguson Marine
Earlier this month MSPs were told that the MV Glen Sannox ferry has already been pencilled in for repairs before it carries its first passengers.
Officials from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), the ferry procurement agency, confirmed that the anchor system on Glen Sannox would need to be fixed in the coming months.
However, replacement anchor equipment was due to arrive in early February for repairs to be carried out.
Economy spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said: “Islanders will need to see the Glen Sannox setting sail for themselves before they can believe it.
“After years of delays and excuses, island communities won’t forget the SNP’s neglect of them any time soon.”
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said: “While everyone wants to see the Glen Sannox set sail without a hitch tomorrow, the growing list of faults won’t give islanders much confidence.
“The SNP’s ferries fiasco is a national scandal that has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds. It is high time that nationalist ministers were held to account for their gross incompetence.”
Claire Baker, Scottish Labour’s Transport Spokesperson, said: “That this long-awaited ferry faces being taken out of service only weeks after it is launched will be a huge blow to islanders.
“While the SNP’s first priority must be ensuring islanders have safe and reliable transport, the second should be a full disclosure of the timeline of this ferry commission so that lessons can be learned.”
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