Islanders share excitement as Glen Sannox prepares to sail to Arran

Arran: It’s been a long wait for the folks on Arran. The Glen Sannox and her sister ship, the Glen Rosa, have faced a ton of delays at the Ferguson Marine shipyard. What started as a £97 million contract has ballooned to over £300 million. Yikes!

But finally, the first liquefied natural gas ferry is ready to make its debut across the Firth of Clyde. You can feel the excitement in the air!

Bill Calderwood, who chairs the Arran Community Council, is practically counting down the days. He can see the Brodick ferry terminal from his home and is eager to welcome the Glen Sannox.

“There’s so much enthusiasm, and we can’t wait for the boat to arrive,” he shared with the Sunday National. “Monday can’t come soon enough!”

Sheila Gilmore, the chief executive of VisitArran, echoed that excitement. “It was emotional seeing her out in the bay for the first time. We’re really looking forward to her coming into service,” she said.

However, there’s a bit of skepticism too. “We’ll believe it when we see it,” she added, noting the ups and downs they’ve faced. But she’s hopeful that this new ferry will bring some much-needed reliability to the service.

Over the past year, Arran residents have had a tough time. The MV Caledonian Isles, which has been the main ferry since 1993, has been out of action for most of 2024. It’s not expected back until the end of March.

Meanwhile, the MV Isle of Arran has been doing its best, but it’s an older ship and smaller than the Caledonian Isles. The MV Alfred has been filling in from Troon, but it lacks catering and WiFi, and can only carry 430 passengers compared to the 1,000 that the Caledonian Isles can.

Gilmore stressed how crucial it is for islanders to have a dependable ferry service. “You can’t plan anything if you don’t know if you can get across,” she said. “It’s been really tough for people with medical appointments and treatments.”

Calderwood added, “We’ve got a small hospital here, but we need to get to Crosshouse Hospital and other services. Reliability is key.”

While everyone is excited about the Glen Sannox, there are still concerns about the ferry route from Ardrossan. For now, the Glen Sannox will operate from Troon because it’s too big for Ardrossan.

This means fewer daily crossings to Arran, which is a bummer for residents. They’re worried about the impact on social care and education, as many services come from Ardrossan.

Gilmore pointed out that changing routes isn’t as simple as it sounds. “This has been a route for generations,” she said, highlighting the challenges of shifting everything to Troon.

In 2018, the Ardrossan Harbour Project was approved, but it’s been stalled since 2023 due to rising costs. Residents are still waiting for the Scottish Government to give the green light.

Calderwood fears that even when the Caledonian Isles returns, it might be deemed unnecessary once the Glen Rosa starts sailing from Troon.

Gilmore emphasized the need to finalize the business case for improving Ardrossan Harbour. “That’s our next big push,” she said.

A spokesperson for Ardrossan Harbour assured that they’re committed to the redevelopment program and are ready to start the public procurement process once the business case is approved.

Transport Scotland acknowledged the community’s concerns and is working on the business case. They’re hoping to have everything sorted out soon.