Glen Sannox hull crack: Welding defects were found in another Ferguson Marine vessel

New CalMac ferry returns to main Arran route after repairs

The Glen Sannox ferry has returned to service following repairs to a crack in its hull months after being completed by Ferguson Marine, which constructed an oil barge also found to have defective welds.

The CalMac vessel resumed sailings on Sunday after being laid up at Brodick harbour in Arran for two days following the discovery of a weld seam fault.

Glen Sannox arrives at Brodick on Arran after its first official passenger sailing on January 13 | John Devlin/The Scotsman

CalMac said the 130mm (5in) “minor” defect close to the waterline included a 25mm (1in) section which had let in a “very small amount of water”. The ferry entered service in January after being delivered by Ferguson Marine in November.

The disruption forced the cancellation of 31 bookings on Saturday, including 24 cars, which could not able to be accommodated on the catamaran Alfred that also operates the route from Troon.

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Holes were drilled at each end of the crack to prevent it expanding and the seam was re-welded.

CalMac said the defect was on the starboard [right] side of a machinery space near the starboard rudder.

The weld seal crack in Glen Sannox was spotted near a rudder at the rear of the vessel | CalMac

It said such minor weld defects had been found in some of its other ferries but none were in the three smaller vessels built by Ferguson Marine in the 2010s.

A CalMac spokesperson said: “Our investigation into the root cause is ongoing and all possible contributing factors are being considered.”

Bill Calderwood, secretary of the Arran Ferry Committee, said: “This was not a great experience to help build confidence in the service, which is key to recovering our reputation as a place to live, work and visit.

“We are very pleased the vessel has been returned to service, however the incident highlights the need for the route to be supported by two capable vessels which can accommodate the demands and provide the appropriate resilience for the island.”

Glen Sannox’s hull is believed to have been welded prior to its launch at the Port Glasgow yard in 2017 while it was under the ownership of businessman Jim McColl.

Ferguson Marine chief financial officer David Dishon said: “The welding on Glen Sannox was subject to rigorous checks at various points throughout the build and was signed off prior to handover by both Lloyds Register and [Scottish Government ferry owning firm] Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (Cmal).

“The quality of the welding and fabrication by the Ferguson’s workforce was praised by Cmal in its inspections of the vessel during the construction process.

“We are extremely proud of the quality of work we delivered on this and other vessels. We are working in close partnership with CalMac and Cmal, with an investigation into this particular issue ongoing.”

The Scotsman revealed three years ago that half the bottom welds on the oil barge Argymak were found to be defective by CMI Offshore, which had ordered the vessel from Ferguson Marine.

The unfinished barge Argymak being launched at the Ferguson Marine yard in 2020T | CMI Offshore

Construction of the 55m-long barge began in 2018, two years after work started on Glen Sannox, with CMI Offshore towing away the semi-complete vessel for completion elsewhere after it was launched in 2020.

A source said: “Significant and unacceptable welding defects were found as a result of an X-ray inspection in the work originally performed by Ferguson which led to significant reworking and costs.”

The yard has said it could not comment on work which was largely done under previous management.