Glen Sannox (IV)

Glen Sannox, a name that, until the mid 2010s, would conjure up memories of the well-travelled and much-loved former Arran ferry from the 1950s. Towards the end of the 2010s however a new Glen Sannox appeared on the scene. With Caledonian Isles rapidly approaching 25 years in service, it had been announced that Arran was to be next in line to receive new tonnage.

In the normal circumstances, the procurement process would last about 4 years between the intitial announcement of a new ferry to be built, and her entry into service. Indeed this had been the case with the two previous large newbuild vessels; Finlaggan and Loch Seaforth. Sadly however the new Arran ferry was dogged with political interference and gloryseeking right from the off. The former Ferguson's shipyard had been rescued by billionaire best mate of (and donor to) the SNP, Jim McColl and inevitably the new Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL) was announced on 31st August 2015 as the preferred bidder on a £97m contract to build two new sister vessels which became known as Hull 801 and Hull 802. Initially 801 was destined for Arran while 802 was announced as the new Uig Triangle ferry.

The first steel for 801 was cut in April 2016, with the keel being laid in February 2017. CMAL ran their now customary naming competition and the name Glen Sannox was the runaway winner. Over the coming months Glen Sannox gradually took shape on the slipway at Port Glasgow and the substantially incomplete ferry was launched on a dull and murky 21st November 2017 by Nicola Sturgeon. In fact, so incomplete was the ferry that the funnels fitted were non-functional mock-ups, the entire bridge was a wooden shell with black painted windows and the bulbous bow was unfit for purpose and is alleged to have been fitted only to trigger so-called milestone payments.

The following years saw Glen Sannox's fitting out process descend into what can only be described as a farce, with numerous delays. It emerged that the design of the new ferry wasn't even signed off before construction had commenced and the blame game started between CMAL and FMEL, with progress grinding to a halt. We're not going to list all the failings during the fitting out process, but suffice it to say that at the time of writing (December 2023) Glen Sannox still remains incomplete. The latest estimate for completion and handover is the spring of 2024, some six whole years late.

Whenever the Glen Sannox does eventually enter service she will bring a capacity of 127 cars and 852 passengers (reduced from the original target of 1000), however she will not initially be runnign from Ardrossan. The current plan is to have the service running from Troon to Brodick while the harbour at Ardrossan is repaired and redeveloped to accommodate the new ferry. The Glen Sannox will eventually also be joined by Hull 802, to be named Glen Rosa - the latter having been reassigned to the Arran route.