Ferguson Marine’s delayed ferry, MV Glen Sannox, has secured full regulatory approval, including passenger certification, according to a letter from interim chief executive John Petticrew to the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.

In his update to Edward Mountain MSP, convenor of the committee, Petticrew confirmed that the shipyard has been working closely with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Lloyd’s Register to achieve the mandatory certifications.

“We are delighted to share that MV Glen Sannox has now obtained full regulatory approval, including its passenger certification,” Petticrew stated, adding that the vessel is set to be transferred to its new owners, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), once the legal and contractual processes are completed.

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Following the transfer, control of the vessel will be handed to CalMac Ferries, which requires six and a half weeks to carry out operational readiness and annual recertification activities. These steps will prepare the ferry for its long-awaited entry into service on Scotland’s lifeline ferry routes.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders who have contributed to this process. We wish the MV Glen Sannox and its crew smooth and successful voyages in the years to come,” Petticrew wrote.

The MV Glen Sannox, one of two dual-fuel ferries originally commissioned in 2015 to serve Scotland’s island communities, has faced repeated delays and cost overruns, drawing criticism over its prolonged construction timeline. Its completion marks a significant milestone for Ferguson Marine and the Scottish Government, as efforts to address Scotland’s ferry infrastructure challenges continue.

The vessel’s regulatory approval brings it closer to finally serving the public, a development eagerly awaited by island communities that rely on reliable ferry services for transport and supplies

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

7 COMMENTS

  1. Very annoying for all the Scots who depend on reliable ferries.

    With the money spent on these two disasters half the fleet could have been renewed!

  2. …and the Fair Isle ferry will keep costing more till it’s not viable. The money came from part of Levelling-up from the last Government, so there will obviously be an element of SPITE that the Scottish ASSembly didn’t think of it! The Bird Observatory will be open in late spring on the Island, and it seems there will be a flotilla of little boats taking all those tourists..what a joke!!!

    • It will be news when delivered 10 years later…after initially being ordered. The longest build in human history…it might make it into the Guinness book of records. Just to give you a perspective HMS Dreadnought the battleship was laid down on the 2nd October 1905 and launched 10th February 1906…That really says it all doesn’t it….whilst a Ferry ordered in 2015 is finally built and handed over in 2025…ten years later.

  3. A ferry…..originally commissioned in 2015 and now 2025 when it will be finally delivered…that must be a record for the longest ship build in human history…Maybe they should have asked Noah to build it instead…LOL…Scottish ship building at its best. We wonder why we never build much in the UK these days. When you think the Korean’s have massively automated with advanced robotics the building and manufacturing of vessels….However, the Korean’s think strategically something the UK has now done since the 1950s…need I say more.

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