Glen Sannox starts MOT-like maintenance as CalMac updates on when ferry will enter service

CalMac, which has now taken possession of the ferry from Ferguson Marine, said the ship was on track for entry to service early to mid-January.

The company confirmed the ferry had started its recertification period - the equivalent of MOT-like annual maintenance - on Tuesday at the Inchgreen dock in Greenock, and Fairlie.

Familiarisation trials for CalMac crew and snagging work like painting carried out by Ferguson Marine are also taking place before Glen Sannox starts carrying passengers.

Tasks being carried out as part of the familiarisation trials include equipment and system testing, pilotage exemption training, operation of life-saving appliances, and the testing of engines on the liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel system.

A CalMac statement said: “The familiarisation period is underway and while there is a defined plan in place for this, we may adapt it as work progresses.”

The statement added: “We have to complete some of these tasks multiple times to ensure all crew are fully familiar with the vessel.”

Glen Sannox, which can carry up to 852 passengers as well as 127 cars, is six-and-a-half years late from when it was originally due to be delivered.

The long-awaited vessel was handed over by Ferguson Marine to CalMac on November 21.

However, crew familiarisation trials being carried out by CalMac are expected to last for six-and-a-half weeks, with recertification taking an estimated 16 days during this period, before the ferry can enter passenger service.

The Scotsman can reveal jobs deemed ‘non critical’ are still being carried out by a Ferguson Marine team on Glen Sannox around the familiarisation trials, based on “schedule and availability”.

These jobs include cleaning, painting, the minor adjustment of non-critical pipework, filler being added around doors, and the replacement of some items with minor superficial damage, such as door thresholds.

Ferguson Marine has also confirmed Glen Sannox’s final weight exceeds the initial target weight. But the company said in a statement: “However, the vessel does not exceed the target draught. Therefore, this is not detrimental to the carrying capacity of the vessel.”

A vessel’s draught is classified as the vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest point of the ship. The figure represents the minimum water depth that a ship can safely navigate.

The Glen Sannox was initially planned to cost around £97 million and be delivered in 2018. However, the cost is now expected to be around four times higher. The ferry is destined for CalMac's busy Arran route when it finally enters service.

CalMac has separately provided an update on the 1,000-passenger Caledonian Isles ferry, which is undergoing extra repairs that could keep the vessel out of service until late March.

The operator said inspection of the entire vessel structure had now been completed and the data was being evaluated by Naval Architects. However, CalMac has been unable to provide any further clarity on the repair timeline.

A statement from the company said: “The outcome of this assessment will inform the next steps for recertification. Only when this requirement is defined will it be possible to estimate a timeline for completion.”

The works mean the Caledonian Isles could be out of service for up to 14 months in total, with the cost expected to rise around £6m to between £7m and £8.5m.