Glen Sannox ferry hits toilets problem just 10 days from entering service

The hugely-late ferry Glen Sannox has hit new problems just ten days before it is due to enter service with CalMac.

The operator said “minor remedial work” was required on the ship’s sewage system, which is expected to mean planned trial runs with passengers next week are likely to be scrapped, The Scotsman has learned.

Glen Sannox undergoing successful docking trials in Brodick in October | Adam Brown/CalMac

It is among several “technical issues” still to be resolved, which are understood to also include adjustments to an electronic system on the ferry’s bridge.

A planned media preview trip on the ferry on Tuesday has been postponed.

The sewage problem means that while the system has been able to handle use of the toilets by the 25-30 CalMac crew involved in ongoing familiarisation tests of the vessel, it would not be able to cope with hundreds of passengers too.

It is not clear whether the system was checked by builders Ferguson Marine and fully working when the shipyard delivered the ferry in November - six-and-a-half years late.

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CalMac announced last month that Glen Sannox would officially enter service on its busiest route, to Brodick on Arran, on Monday January 13.

Chief executive Duncan Mackison told The Scotsman at the time he hoped the ship would make its first passenger runs during the previous week to “stress test” the vessel by replacing stand-in ferry Alfred on some sailings from Troon.

He said: “It’s really helpful for us to do it in a live situation with vehicles and passengers.

“We’re really keen that we can just drop her into the timetable - that would happen before January 13.”

However, it is understood this is now unlikely, or would not be until the days immediately before that date.

CalMac has been forced to wait until after the festive holidays to draft in the contractors needed for the remedial work.

A source said: “We can’t guarantee to get everything done by Tuesday, but we don’t see any risk to the vessel entering service on January 13 - there are no concerns about that date slipping.”

Glen Sannox has completed berthing trials in Troon and is now heading to undergo similar tests in Stornoway, Ullapool. Tarbert and Lochmaddy until Monday.

These are in case it needs to be temporarily redeployed if ferries on those routes are out of action or are undergoing annual maintenance.

A CalMac spokesperson told The Scotsman: “As is normal during the early stages of a new build vessel’s operational life, we have a number of technical issues that we are working to resolve before the vessel enters full service.

“In general terms, the issues relate to ancillary systems that are not critical to general vessel operation, hence the ability to conduct network trials this weekend as planned, but are needed for full entry into service.

“The majority of the issues were identified between handover of the vessel and the start of the festive holidays, with the holiday period itself having a negative impact on the availability of external contractors for technical support.

"The sewage system utilises a vacuum system to recover waste when toilets are flushed.

“The system design capacity is specified to fully meet the vessel requirements and requires minor remedial work to ensure the system is operating at full capacity."