Glen Sannox Ferry Finally Sets Sail After Six-Year Delay and Budget Overruns
The long-awaited Glen Sannox ferry has officially launched, six years late and millions over budget, marking a significant milestone for CalMac.
Glen Sannox, Ferry, Troon, Scotland, CalMac
Troon: After a long wait, the Glen Sannox ferry finally set sail on Monday morning. It’s been a wild ride, with delays stretching over six years and costs skyrocketing.
Built at the troubled Ferguson Marine shipyard, the ferry left Troon around 6:52 AM, heading to Brodick on the Isle of Arran. It even had its first paying passengers on a test run the day before.
People at Troon Port were expecting to board the Alfred catamaran but ended up being the first to ride the Glen Sannox. Talk about a surprise!
Despite some weather warnings, the ferry made its official debut. CalMac had confirmed that a couple of last-minute issues were sorted out just in time for the launch.
CalMac’s CEO, Duncan Mackison, expressed excitement about the ferry joining the fleet. He mentioned that a lot of hard work went into getting the Glen Sannox ready for service.
This whole saga has been quite the scandal in Scotland. The original contract was for £97 million, but costs have ballooned to over £400 million. And let’s not forget, it’s six and a half years late!
For now, the Glen Sannox will operate out of Troon while the Ardrossan port gets some upgrades. It was handed over last November and went through several weeks of crew training before this big day.
The Scottish Government had to step in back in 2019 to rescue Ferguson Marine, which led to a political uproar and multiple inquiries. First Minister John Swinney even apologized to islanders for the delays.
He reassured everyone that they’re committed to improving the ferry fleet, even though some new vessels are being built in Turkey and facing delays due to global supply chain issues.