Exclusive:Ferguson Marine boss keen to complete Glen Sannox to rid yard of 'negativity'

Delivering Glen Sannox is vital for Ferguson Marine to rid itself of the “negativity” associated with the hugely-delayed ferry, the boss of the shipyard has told The Scotsman.

Interim chief executive John Petticrew also said there was a “definitive plan” to finish sister ship Glen Rosa involving additional workforce shifts to “the push it along” to the latest completion deadline of September next year.

Glen Sannox has been based at Inchgreen in Greenock since Glen Rosa’s launch in April | John Devlin/The Scotsman

He said: “We have got to get this first vessel [Glen Sannox] out so some of the negativity goes away with it.”

The ship is due to be completed in 12 days’ time following sea trials that included its first harbour docking tests, which went “exactly to plan” at Brodick in Arran on Tuesday, the yard said.

Glen Sannox docking in Brodick harbour on Tuesday as part of its latest sea trials | Cmal

The ferry is due to be deployed on CalMac’s main route to the island in December.

Ferguson Marine said Glen Sannox's first trial docking at a CalMac port - Brodick - had gone "exactly to plan" | Cmal

Mr Petticrew said the yard was “very close” to starting further work for BAE Systems on the type 26 frigate programme for the Royal Navy, which had the potential to be “much bigger” than the units [ship sections] it had previously completed.

He said: “We need to get a series of units from them to get a drumbeat going.”

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Mr Petticrew plans a joint venture with another shipbuilder to complete designs for any future ship orders it wins, but the Scottish Government-owned yard said it would be unable to cope with too many until Glen Rosa is completed.

In a reference to mistakes made in the ferries contract, he said such a tie-up “would eliminate the stramash we had at the beginning of these two vessels.”

Mr Petticrew said he hoped the yard would be shortlisted to bid for CalMac’s small electric ferries if only to see how competitive it was, “as opposed to urban myths as to where we sit”.

Industry experts have told The Scotsman the yard is unlikely to win the contract after ministers ruled out a direct award, but it is more likely to be in the running for a subsequent order.

Ferguson Marine chief financial officer David Dishon said: “We don’t want to win too much at this moment because as well as delivering Glen Rosa we are also doing an upgrade of the yard [with £14 million Scottish Government funding].”