MV Glen Rosa has begun builder’s sea trials on the Firth of Clyde as Ferguson Marine enters the final stage of the 102-metre ferry’s build, with handover to CMAL now set for February 2027, according to the shipyard.
Over the coming days, shipyard specialists and industry partners will test how the dual-fuel ferry handles and trial her propulsion and power generation systems, while monitoring safety, automation and navigation under real sailing conditions.
The trials follow dry docking at Dales Marine in Greenock earlier this summer, alongside commissioning of ship systems and interior outfitting across seven decks. Once they finish, Ferguson Marine will make any technical refinements before the vessel enters a final build and evaluation phase, which includes fitting new propeller blades and completing LNG work. Owner’s sea trials with CMAL and CalMac will then demonstrate her dual-fuel capability before formal handover and entry into service with CalMac.
Andrew Milligan, Executive Director of Technical at Ferguson Marine, said: “Commencing sea trials is a pivotal moment for Glen Rosa and reflects the tremendous hard work and technical skill across our Port Glasgow shipyard.
“These trials allow us to put the ship’s integrated systems through their paces at sea, validating months of dockside testing and outfitting. Our team remains completely focused on producing quality work and rigorous testing, ensuring we deliver a reliable, robust vessel that will serve island communities for generations to come.”
Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive of CMAL, said: “Builder’s sea trials are an important milestone, and we welcome the progress as we near the handover of MV Glen Rosa.”
Glen Rosa is the sister ship of Glen Sannox, which entered service with CalMac in January 2025, and both were ordered for the Arran route. The UK Defence Journal has followed the progress of both ferries at Port Glasgow.
Ferguson Marine has been wholly owned by Scottish Ministers since December 2019, and alongside completing Glen Rosa is working on a transformation project to modernise the shipyard, which has been building Clyde vessels since 1903.
