Major new delay to Glen Rosa ferry announced by Ferguson Marine shipyard
Vessel now expected to be completed eight-and-a-half years late
The hugely-delayed Glen Rosa ferry has suffered a further six-month setback and will not be completed until the end of next year, the Ferguson Marine shipyard announced on Friday.
The extra time needed to finish the vessel for CalMac will mean it will leave the Scottish Government-owned yard up to eight-and-a-half years late.
The news came as it was confirmed that Isle of Islay, the first of four ferries being built in Turkey for CalMac, would be further delayed by at least several weeks.
Ferguson Marine chief executive Graeme Thomson told MSPs in a letter the new expected date was October-December 2026, “which we recognise is a considerable delay based on our earlier plans”.
The Scotsman revealed on Thursday that the ferry was likely to be delayed again after the yard’s newly-published annual report stated that it was “reviewing the schedule for both delivery date and cost”.
The yard has still to announce whether the cost of the ferry has also increased. It said a “cost impact assessment” was under way and would provide an update next month.
The latest in a long series of delays to the 850-passenger ship follows the yard announcing in May that its completion would be delayed from September this year to between April and June 2026. The estimated cost increased from £150 million to £185m.
Previous delays to the ferry and sister vessel Glen Sannox have included design and construction problems before the yard was nationalised in 2019, and their novel dual fuel propulsion system, which includes liquified natural gas (LNG).
Mr Thomson said the latest delay was because “issues” had been identified while Glen Rosa was in dry dock in August, “specifically corrosion in its stern tubes and deterioration of the hull coating”.
In his letter to the Scottish Parliament’s net zero, energy and transport committee (NZET), he said: “Remedial work to fix these issues is essential to ensure the vessel’s long-term reliability and compliance with safety standards.”
The yard said these problems had not affected Glen Sannox, which was completed last November and entered service between Troon in South Ayrshire and Brodick in Arran in January. Glen Rosa has been earmarked for the same route.
It said: “To carry out the necessary remedial work to resolve these issues, the vessel will need to spend an extended period in its second drydock, with the earliest available time slot falling later in 2026.
This would now take four weeks rather than the planned four days, and will have a knock-on effect on the subsequent completion of the LNG system and sea trials.
Mr Thomson said: “I wish to offer my deepest and most heartfelt apologies for the disruption and uncertainty this delay has caused, particularly for the island communities whose daily lives and livelihoods depend on this vital ferry service.
“I am acutely aware of the inconvenience, frustration, and disappointment this situation has brought about.”
Bill Calderwood, secretary of the Arran Ferry Committee described the news as “further disappointment to our island communities who anticipated at least some improvement to our travel limitations”.
NZET committee convener Edward Mountain said: “News of these further delays, especially to the Glen Rosa, will be a deep disappointment to communities reliant on new ferries.
“It will also raise concerns about further costs for taxpayers on a project that is already way over budget.
“It is even more disappointing given how long the Parliament was made to wait earlier this year to receive updates on costs and delivery for the Glen Rosa, despite repeated requests.
“We were expressly told this was to get the detail right. Yet here we are again, in a situation where that update turned out to be no more reliable than its predecessors.”
Louise Gilmour , Scotland secretary of the GMB, the yard’s main union, said: "The contracts to build Glen Rosa and Glen Sannox should have burnished Ferguson's worldwide reputation for excellence but, instead, shredded it.
"Skilled and committed shipbuilders have been lions led by donkeys as they strove to complete contracts undermined by the hubris, incompetence and mismanagement of ministers, Government agencies, and executives from the very start."
Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Sue Webber said: “This dreadful news will be as welcome for islanders as getting a lump of coal in their stocking this Christmas.
“The latest update points to serious concerns with this vessel which will deeply alarm island communities even more.”
However, Mr Thomson added: “It is essential to clearly separate the distinct technical challenges encountered by Glen Rosa from the overall performance of Ferguson Marine.
“While these setbacks have confirmed historic systemic issues within our operations, they do not define our trajectory.
“We are embarking on an ambitious modernisation journey that will transform Ferguson Marine whilst we work extremely hard to deliver a Clydebuilt vessel that showcases our commitment to the highest standards of safety and quality.”
The yard said it attributed some of the “challenges” encountered during Glen Rosa’s construction to “several areas impacting its operations that require improvement”.
Such modernisation included new equipment and staff training in new skills.
It said: “The shipyard has already put measures in place to tackle these issues and enhance operational efficiency, including upgrading equipment, refining processes and addressing the impacts of underinvestment.”
Ferguson Marine has been pledged £14.2 million by ministers to upgrade the yard to become more competitive to win new contracts.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes described the delay as "deeply disappointing”.
She said: "There is still work to do to secure a sustainable, long-term future for Ferguson's, but I am encouraged by the steps being taken and the Scottish Government remains steadfast in its support for the company and its workers."
Meantime, the Scottish Government’s ferry-buying firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (Cmal) told the committee on Friday that the latest “challenging” target to complete Isle of Islay by Christmas would not be met.
However, it reported no increase in the cost.
The vessel, which is already 14 months late, is now due to undergo final inspections by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) regulator in early January before it can sail to Scotland.
The 450-passenger ferry is due to serve the route between Kennacraig in Kintyre and Port Askaig in Islay.
Cmal chief executive Kevin Hobbs told the committee: “In our interim update on November 30, we advised that the shipyard were targeting to deliver MV Isle of Islay before Christmas.
“Unfortunately, this delivery date cannot be achieved as some compartments had not been finalised and therefore could not be signed off.
“The MCA fly back to Turkey on January 5 to carry out final inspections and certification audits.
“We are fully aware that this will come as a disappointment to all concerned (especially the island communities) as this vessel and its sisters are desperately needed in Scotland as soon as possible to set to work for Islay and the Outer Hebrides.”
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