Arran islander joy as Glen Sannox is delivered to Calmac
Interim CEO hopes it will be accepting passengers in the new year
An Arran islander admits there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for their ferry woes after Ferguson Marine handed over the Glen Sannox to the Scottish Government and Calmac.
Sheila Gilmore couldn’t hide her joy at the news the first of two over-budget ferries had been delivered after it was given the green light by regulators earlier this week.
The vessel - and its sister ship the Glen Rosa - were due to enter service in 2018 but have been beset by problems which have also quadrupled the £97 million initial cost.
But Ms Gilmore, who is also the chief executive of Visit Arran, insists today is only a day to look at the positives.
She said: “Absolutely thrilled that the Glen Sannox has now been handed over.
“It feels like there is a wee bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s really exciting for everybody, for the wider island community as a whole and for the businesses on the island.
“We’re just really excited about the whole thing and looking forward to her sailing in and out of Brodick.”
Emotional
Calmac interim Chief executive Duncan Mackison revealed he too felt emotional about the delivery, with the ferry issues becoming a political firestorm in recent years, with two parliamentary inquiries and one of the longest-running scandals since devolution.
He said: “I was really quite emotional yesterday evening and I’m finding today quite emotional as well.
“Let’s be honest, this has been a big story, the eyes of Scotland have been on this one, but to actually get to the point where we’ve now got ownership of this vessel and we can start looking forward positively, is a huge shot in the arm, and a great thing to look forward to, not just for us but for the people of Arran who are going to get the benefits of this great ship.”
Mr Mackison went on to confirm the Gen Sannox will now undergo maintenance and crew training, with hopes it will sailing between Arran and the mainland by mid-January.
It was also confirmed that the new boat will sail from Troon, with Mr Mackison adding Ardrossan will need to be upgraded and improved for it to be able to berth the ferry.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This is an important milestone for Ferguson Marine as it delivers the first LNG dual-fuel ferry to be built in the UK.
“The Glen Sannox will provide resilience to the fleet delivering vital lifeline services to islanders and I am encouraged that the Scottish Government’s wider programme to procure six new ferries by 2026 has taken another major step forward.”
The new boat will have capacity for 852 passengers, 127 cars and 16 HGVs.
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