Exclusive:CalMac reveals exactly when hugely-delayed ferry Glen Sannox will start carrying passengers

CalMac’s massively-delayed newest ferry will officially enter service on Monday, January 13, with some passengers getting a sneak preview on trial runs the previous week, The Scotsman has learned.

Glen Sannox, the operator’s second largest vessel with space for 852 passengers and 127 cars, will be deployed on its busiest route to Brodick in Arran.

John Devlin/The Scotsman

It will operate from Troon because the route’s normal mainland port of Ardrossan has yet to be upgraded to accommodate the ship, despite being completed six-and-a-half years’ late by the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow.

The exact date emerged as CalMac revealed the route’s ageing main vessel Caledonian Isles would not return to service until April following unprecedented 14-month-long repairs - although it had feared at one stage the ferry might have to be scrapped.

The Scottish Government-owned operator said passengers would love travelling aboard Glen Sannox when its trial runs get underway in the week of January 6, as a “soft launch” to “stress test” the ferry.

CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison said: “We think people will be really impressed - they’ll like the look of her and enjoy the experience. People will notice first of all, if they are in a vehicle, the size of the vehicle deck space comes across as being much, much bigger.

“It’s a completely open space. There’s no central divide that you get on the older vessels.

“People will get a sense of being in a very much bigger central space. The other thing will be the quality of the passenger accommodation - people will appreciate the level of comfort.

“It’s just a much more modern, comfortable environment to be in.”

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Mr Mackison said there were several outside areas for passengers, including a covered one to the rear and a large seating area on the top deck.

Glen Sannox in Greenock prior to being delivered to CalMac in November | John Devlin/The Scotsman

He said: “People will notice a much bigger visible viewing platform at the top.”

Mr Mackison said there was also a much more spacious viewing area inside, looking over the bows.

“It has the sense of a much larger passenger area where, either side, you can see from the back of the ship to the front,” he said.

“There are also more grouped seating areas, so people will find areas that suit them, whether they have a pet with them or want to go to a quiet area, or look at the view - there’s lots of options dotted around.”

Mr Mackison said the ferry’s “significantly greater manoeuvrability and power” than older vessels would make berthing in harbours smoother and quicker.

He said the “delivery to operations” phase since CalMac took delivery of the vessel in November was going “very well”. This has included berthing at the ports it will serve and tests lowering and raising its vehicle ramps.

Glen Sannox is also due to undergo berthing trials in Stornoway and on the Skye-Harris-North Uist triangle from December 30 in case it needs to be re-deployed there in the future to cover other ferries being out of service.

CalMac’s largest ship, Loch Seaforth, operates between Stornoway and Ullapool.

Mr Mackison said: “We are delighted with the performance of the vessel and have not encountered any significant issues that give us concern. There are a few minor things that need to be completed that will get done in the next overhaul period, but there is nothing new there or been discovered.”

He said an anchor problem that had added to delays to the ferry being completed by Ferguson Marine had been “resolved”.

Scottish Government firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferry, said Glen Sannox might need to be taken out of service for up to a day and a half in March or April for that work to be completed.

Mr Mackison said there had also been a great reaction to Glen Sannox from those in charge of the vessel.

He said: “Masters are really positive about how the ship handles and the amount of power she has. We’re really pleased at how things are going.”

He said the ferry’s annual MoT-style overhaul, which is required even though the vessel is brand new so it can be licensed to operate for a year, was due to be completed on Thursday at Fairlie in North Ayrshire.

He said there was likely to be greater use of the ferry’s second fuel, liquefied natural gas, than originally expected, such as when manoeuvring in port.

Meantime, the chief executive revealed he had been worried 31-year-old Caledonian Isles might be unviable to repair, but was now confident it would be back in action between Ardrossan and Brodick in April.

CalMac’s largest Clyde ferry was due to return to service in November after extensive hull steelwork repairs.

However, metal frames in its bowels were found to have been bent some 2cm out of shape due to stresses on its hull, which will take another three months to fix and could push the bill to £8.5 million.

Mr Mackison said: “We have got a very high degree of confidence that that is fixable that will enable Caledonian Isles to re-enter service at the beginning of the summer timetable [from the end of March].

“There is a further phase now of technical analysis to understand exactly what needs to be done.”

He said he had previously been unable to rule anything out, including scrapping the vessel, while the scale and cost of the problem remained unknown.

Mr Mackison: “There are a lot of people who are worried the vessel may not re-enter service ever, but we now have a high degree of confidence that’s not going to be the case.”

But he said the cause of the “frame deformation” had still to be confirmed.

CalMac fleet management director Craig Ramsay told The Scotsman in November it appeared to have happened or worsened after the ship left dock in Merseyside following the steelwork repairs.