Glen Sannox: Scotland’s ferries saga ship to finally set sail

Troon: The MV Glen Sannox is finally set to make its first passenger trip early Monday morning. It’s leaving Troon harbour at 06:30, heading to the Isle of Arran. Exciting, right?

But hold on! There’s a yellow alert from Caledonian MacBrayne warning that high winds might delay or even cancel the sailing. Fingers crossed it goes smoothly!

This ship has been a long time coming. It was supposed to be delivered almost seven years ago. After a successful test run on Sunday, it’s now the first new large vessel to join the UK’s biggest ferry fleet in nearly a decade.

With room for 127 cars and 852 passengers, Glen Sannox is a big deal. It’s going to help ease the pressure on CalMac, which has been struggling with older, unreliable vessels.

Originally ordered nearly ten years ago, the Glen Sannox and its sister ship, Glen Rosa, faced a lot of drama. The shipyard had some serious issues, leading to its nationalization in 2019.

Costs skyrocketed, and the whole situation turned into a political mess. But now, CalMac’s chief, Duncan Mackison, is excited to finally welcome passengers aboard.

Named after a beautiful spot on Arran, Glen Sannox will run three return trips daily from Troon to Brodick. There’s also another ship, Glen Rosa, still being built, but it’s facing delays.

For the folks on Arran, this new ferry is a breath of fresh air after years of transport troubles. Mike Dobson from Arran Cancer Support mentioned how the uncertainty has affected people’s mental health, especially those needing regular medical care.

Sheila Gilmore from Visit Arran is hopeful that this will boost visitor numbers and help local businesses recover. It’s been a tough road, but they’re looking forward now.

Overall, the arrival of Glen Sannox is a big step forward for Scotland’s ferry services, and it’s about time things started looking up!