I sailed on the Glen Sannox ferry for the first time - and there were many pleasant surprises on board
It’s finally here. The ferry that had been under construction for what seemed like forever was on Monday carrying passengers at last - and was bright, comfortable and spacious to go with it.
I boarded the first official sailing of the Glen Sannox that left Troon harbour shortly before 7am for Brodick on Arran in an event so low key you’d imagine it was just a regular service.
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Although CalMac had snuck in an unannounced first sailing on Sunday, this debut scheduled run came with no fanfare, speeches or celebration, the operator apparently just keen to get down to business after being kept waiting for nearly seven years for a ferry that some thought would never turn up.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there were no government ministers present - just a plaque above a staircase marking a notorious episode in the ship’s past involving a former first minister.
There was no sign of anyone from shipbuilders Ferguson Marine either - although it emerged later it had issued a comment to mark the occasion.
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But while the construction fiasco at the Port Glasgow yard, which delayed the ferry’s completion by six and a half years, has made images of the huge vessel commonplace, Monday’s crossing was the first chance to sample what CalMac has hailed as among the best ferry interiors in Europe.
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Forget the widely-mocked painted-on windows from the ship’s premature launch in 2017 - the ferry’s lounges now have views in all directions, along with from various vantage points on the two open decks.
However, there’s a memento of that infamous launch event, in the form of a plaque that records that Nicola Sturgeon did the honours.


Inside the 102-metre-long Glen Sannox, there is both a sense of space - you can see 75m along the main passenger deck - but also one of intimacy with a range of smaller, more private areas to sit.
These include several rows of comfortable, semi-reclined seats above the bows to an enclosed room to one side with a sliding glass door.
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Enjoying the new comfort were 104 foot passengers - the ferry can take 852 - along with 23 cars and nine commercial vehicles. It can accommodate a combination of 127 cars and 16 lorries.
Glen Sannox’s extra power and maneuverability came into own immediately, able to operate in the “fresh southerly wind” conditions, as it was described by the crew, which had grounded the route’s other vessel, the catamaran Alfred.
The ferry seemed to cope well with the slight swell that made some on board feel queasy - amid reports of several people reaching for the sickbags.
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Hide AdAt times, you had to keep a hand on the nearest rail to steady yourself while moving around. But the ship remained very quiet as it ploughed through the darkness, the only discernible creaking I heard coming from a ceiling panel in the entrance vestibule.
Captain Tobi Sogl, one of the relief masters on board, told me: “The vessel has got a lot more power than others in the fleet - it’s very manoeuvrable and capable. Most vessels have two thrusters. Glen Sannox has got three bow thrusters and we also have a stern thruster.
“It was a good test for the vessel this morning.”


Speaking on the ship’s bridge after it returned to Troon from Brodick, he said: “It’s a good sign - we are building up our confidence in Glen Sannox and I’m looking forward to testing the vessel in stronger and stronger winds.
“The expectation is that we can increase our weather limits and operate in higher wind speeds. It’s just a case of learning the capabilities of the vessel now and how she behaves.”
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Hide AdCaptain Sogl also agreed the ferry offered greater passenger comfort than its predecessors.
He said: “The vessel is a lot quieter and lets in a lot more daylight. The cabins have been designed to higher standards.”
After all the construction delays at the Ferguson Marine shipyard and last-minute problems which forced the cancellation of a preview sailing, it all seems to have come right in the end - unless something else goes wrong.
I’m told all those late glitches, such as to the toilet system and a mezzanine vehicle deck, have been sorted.
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Hide AdRepairs to the anchor mechanism will force the ferry out of service for around two days, expected in ferry.
CalMac chief executive Duncan Mackison told me: “As with any new build, there was a list of things to work through. The major ones that we were concerned about last week were to do with the sewage system and mezz decks, which were fixed over the weekend.


“There are one of two other issues which I would describe as snagging, but she is more than capable of being in service, so we’re really confident about the vessel.”
Mr Mackison said passengers were “really pleased, but relieved” because of the time it had taken for the ferry to be completed.
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Hide AdA CalMac ferry has probably never come under such scrutiny. Passenger service launches used to be routine - and the company will no doubt hope they will be once more, with three other large vessels due to join the fleet this year.
Mr Mackison said that would be a “really material step forward - and if they are anything like as good as Glen Sannox, that will be fantastic”.
“This marks a turning point and I look forward to a time over the next few years where we can expect to have approaching half the fleet as new vessels, which will be an amazing place to get to,” he said.
Bill Calderwood, secretary of the Arran Ferry Committee, which represents passengers, had equally high hopes.
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He told me in Brodick: “It gives us a chance to rebuild the island’s economy as capacity on the route was limited in the past.
“But the next challenge is get Caledonian Isles [undergoing major repairs until March] back operating from Ardrossan and a commitment from government to upgrade that harbour [so that Glen Sannox can operate the shorter route to Brodick from there].”
Ferguson Marine interim chief executive John Petticrew said: “This is a milestone for Ferguson Marine and it’s hard to put into words how it feels to see Glen Sannox on her first passenger journey.
“We acknowledge the process wasn’t without its challenges, however this vessel is the first in her class, a Clyde-built industrial achievement, and a testament to the skill and dedication of all who had the privilege of working on her.
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Hide Ad“We are incredibly grateful to the staff at Ferguson Marine and recognise this as a great Scottish engineering success, of which they should be immensely proud.
“Our people have worked tirelessly to deliver this exceptional vessel and Glen Sannox serves as a reminder of what this yard is capable of producing.”
Glen Sannox’s arrival, on January 13, may indicate an unlucky number for some, but it could yet mark the date when CalMac’s fortunes started to change.
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