Fiasco-struck ferry Glen Sannox finally ready to enter service - but deck will remain closed over 'snags'

The long-awaited ferry Glen Sannox will enter service and begin carrying passengers on Monday, operator CalMac has confirmed, though “snags” mean one of its decks will not be in use.

Originally due for delivery in 2018, the ferry and sister ship Glen Rosa have endured a saga of costly delays and technical problems at shipyard Ferguson Marine.

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.

The long-delayed Glen Sannox ferry is finally ready (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images

The 3,000-tonne Glen Rosa is due to be handed over in September and costs for the two vessels are expected to be more than triple the original price tag of £97 million.

However a report in the Scottish Sun on Saturday suggests this handover will face a further delay to spring 2026.

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 says the closure will not affect capacity because of low demand over the winter period.

Glen Sannox is one of the delayed ferries. | Getty

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.”

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.”

This week, The Scotsman reported that the Glen Sannox would be taken out of service for repairs to its anchors once new parts arrive next month, just weeks after it starts carrying passengers.

The revelations follow issues with a toilet system which forced the operator to cancel a preview sailing.

Glen Sannox, which was ordered a decade ago, has suffered a long series of setbacks and delays that has left it costing some £400 million - around four times its original contract value.