Ferguson Marine yet to confirm if fiasco-stricken Glen Sannox ferry is ready after sea trials

Just two days before Glen Sannox's latest completion deadline, Ferguson Marine tells MSPs it's unable to confirm that will be met, pending further work after sea trials.

Trials of a late and over-budget ferry have been an “overall success”, a shipbuilding company has said.

But, just two days before Glen Sannox's latest completion deadline, Ferguson Marine has told MSPs it's unable to confirm that milestone will be met.

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The firm stated: "We will provide a definitive handover date as soon as it is confirmed."

The MV Glen Sannox had successfully completed a number of sea acceptance trials after construction work was completed at the Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde.

That came after a blackout caused by a power cut on the vessel led to another delay on Thursday, October 3.

Yesterday, Ferguson Marine sent a letter to Sir Edward Mountain, Conservative MSP and convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport (NZET) committee, stating a number of sea trials that took place between Tuesday and Thursday this week had gone to plan.

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John Devlin

The letter, sent by the shipbuilder’s interim CEO John Pettigrew, says the trials included testing the ship’s steering and manoeuvring, speed, stopping, thrusters, noise and vibration.

They also included testing of Unmanned Machinery Space (UMS) and endurance.

The shipbuilders have said they will provide the NZET committee with a handover date as soon as it is confirmed.

It adds: “We are pleased to report that the trials were an overall success.

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“Additionally, we have fully resolved the setup of the fire and gas detection system. Two successful LNG (liquified natural gas) bunkerings were also carried out, and the LNG tank level alarms were tested and approved on Saturday.

“Although further work is ongoing, we will provide the committee with a definitive handover date as soon as it is confirmed.”

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