The long-awaited sea trials of the MV Glen Sannox have started, and it’s good news for the entire Scottish shipbuilding industry.

No matter your view on the ferry project, this, in my view, is good news. The Scottish shipbuilding industry is abuzz as the Glen Sannox will finally move under her own power.

In light of recent developments, Ferguson Marine has been forthright about the possibility of further delays and financial overruns.

Chief Executive David Tydeman underscored the severity of the situation, noting, “The complexity of the build and the cutting-edge technology involved have inevitably led to challenges. We are now focused on the rigorous testing and commissioning phase to ensure the Glen Sannox can safely serve the Arran route. However, we must be prepared for the possibility of additional costs and delays, with the project’s budget potentially surpassing £360 million.”

Tydeman elaborated on the upcoming sea trials, essential for testing the vessel’s main machinery and operational readiness. Weather permitting, the ferry will undergo initial quayside testing in early February, setting the stage for her maiden journey under her own propulsion to the Inchgreen dry dock in Greenock.

This initial foray, cautiously undertaken with a safety tug, will lead to more ambitious testing along the river towards Gourock. These trials, scheduled from Tuesday 13th to Friday 16th February 2024, will test the vessel’s capabilities and ensure its readiness for operational duties.

Below is an outline of what the ship will do during these trials:

  • Tuesday: The Glen Sannox will start its sea trials in the Anchorages at Tail of the Bank, an area known for its suitability for such tests due to its protected waters and ample space for manoeuvring. This initial phase will likely focus on basic operational checks, including stability and anchor handling.
  • Transit to Cloch Point: After completing the initial set of tests, the vessel will transit to Cloch Point. This leg of the journey will allow the crew to assess the ferry’s propulsion, steering, and navigational systems under more dynamic conditions.
  • Operations South of Skelmorlie Bank to North of Great Cumbrae Island: In the days following the initial trials, the Glen Sannox will operate in the waters between the area south of Skelmorlie Bank and the north of Great Cumbrae Island in the Firth of Clyde. This segment of the sea trials is particularly important for testing the vessel’s performance in open water, including speed, maneuverability, and fuel efficiency under various conditions.
  • Daily Return to Port Glasgow: At the end of each day’s testing, the Glen Sannox will return to berth in Port Glasgow. This routine not only ensures the safety and security of the vessel overnight but also allows for daily evaluations of the ship’s systems based on the day’s trials. Engineers and technicians will have the opportunity to analyse data, make adjustments, and prepare for the next day’s testing.

The defence link – why it’s important the yard does well

David Tydeman, CEO of Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow, recently expressed his hope to secure substantial work from the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigate programme, potentially utilising over half the yard’s capacity. Despite the uncertainties surrounding the future of the shipyard, Tydeman was confident about Royal Navy work supporting the yard during a recent Public Audit Committee meeting.

We have been planning for some time,” he said, “and I am delighted that we were able to sign a framework agreement with BAE Systems.

According to Tydeman, the agreement with BAE Systems would help address the workforce surplus at the Ferguson Marine yard as work on two ferries progressively winds down over the next 12 to 18 months. He further added, “Both those yards (BAE and Babcock) have more work than they can do on their sites—as I said, this is a buoyant time in the shipbuilding market—and they need supporting contractors.

Ferguson Marine started work on the first sections for a Type 26 Frigate earlier this year.

In terms of scale, Tydeman compared the additional, potential future work from the Type 26 programme to ongoing projects at Ferguson. “Hull 802 will be about 3,000 tonnes of weight when she launches down the slipway later this year, and a bow block unit for type 26 ship 4—which we hope to do with BAE—will be about 900 tonnes,” he stated.

Elaborating on this, he said “A programme of work with BAE can use more than half the capacity of the yard, and I hope that we can complement that with the CMAL small ferry programme.

Additionally, he mentioned that the company is actively tracking opportunities in the market. “We have a small commercial team that is tracking the market and we have been putting in proposals to the patrol craft market,” Tydeman disclosed. There are also ongoing discussions with operators in the wind farm market, providing potential long-term work. “The first of those ships could be built in 2027. That does not fill the immediate gap, but…that is a very significant opportunity for us in the future.

On a brighter note for the yard as it exists today, Ferguson Marine had recently said that that they intended to work with defence contractor BAE Systems “to re-engage with them as a supply-chain partner” for the eight, complex Type 26 Frigates being built upriver. Ferguson say that this third-party work will contribute millions to the costs of running the shipyard and help sustain workforce skills. Luckily for them, they got the work.

The third-party work on behalf of a military shipbuilder upriver in Govan requires quality, precision and exacting standards. It’s a very big deal when it comes to sustaining the future of the Port Glasgow yard and it, in my opinion, demonstrates the trust the shipbuilding industry has in the Port Glasgow shipyard.

All of the above being said, activity at the yard appears to be increasing and if recent statements are anything to go by, I think the transparency the yard now appears to be committed to shows a far more professional situation than the yard’s workforce endured previously.

Yes, there are setbacks – massive setbacks actually – but the largest shipbuilder in the country has given them a vote of confidence and that speaks volumes.

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

14 COMMENTS

  1. Build T26 Blocks in England…. enough of this nonsense, Appledore could have built these ferries in half the time given continuum orders rather than sending everything north of the border.

  2. A little bit off topic but staying in Scotland as reported by the BBC: 13/1609/02/24
    Edinburgh Castle’s Redcoat cafe name reviewed over ‘offence to Scots’

    An Edinburgh Castle cafe named after British Redcoat soldiers is to be reviewed after some people claimed it was offensive to Scots.

    Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which runs the castle, said it could rename its Redcoat Cafe after 32 years over its controversial historic links.

    Critics have pointed to the British Army’s role in the Highland Clearances and the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

    An online petition has had more than 3,200 signatures since Sunday.

    HES said the cafe’s name “reflects the military history which is told throughout the castle” but that it would consider both sides of the debate.

    Redcoats was an informal name for British infantrymen who wore their distinctive garment into battles – including those with Scottish clansmen.

    • I object to the Roman invasion of Britain in AD43. We should break off all relations with Italy until they give us reparation for their ‘crimes’. Manchester, Chester, Winchester, etc. should remove ‘Chester’ from their titles. All existing Roman roads should be dug up. Spaghetti should be banned. (I’ll get my coat…).

      • Forget the Romans, what about the vikings? I’m struggling daily knowing what they did to us! I’m damaged for life.

        And don’t get me started on the Norman’s, I can’t cope with them.

      • The BBC has aired the story on Twitter and the eternally offended are all bumping their gums about Culloden and how the English carried out mass atrocities,

        I find it interesting that all the professional moaners dont seem to know that England and Scotland joined in union in 1707 and that Culloden (1746) was the end game of numerous attempts by the French to knock the British out of the game against it, in the hope that without the Brits, the rest (Austria, Hannover and the Dutch) would collapse allowing Paris to walk all over them
        In 1744, the French sent forth a invasion fleet to land in England and take the country whilst most of the British army was fighting on the continent, problem for French Admiral Jacques Aymar de Roquefeuil et du Bousquet, the Royal Navy wasn’t in Portsmouth, but waiting for the French off Dungeness On sighting Jack tar and mates he turned tail and was saved from the Royal Navy by a fierce storm , problem was it was a fierce storm and proceeded to sink 12 of his transport ships (see Climate change does cost lives) That put paid to Frances plans to have Citizen Camembert (the Big Cheese) rule over the roast beefs. Anyway Charles Edward Stuart decided to go it alone and in Nov 1745 he launched his Blitzkrieg of England and by Dec he and his band of merry men got as far as Derby, whereupon they decided not to go any further due to a lack of French support and turned back, followed by the British (note British and not English) Army and in April 1746 not 4 months after the Jacobite invasion of England failed, the Jacobite insurrection ended and just as we are seeing in Gaza where Hamas are now the victims , the Scottish have remade themselves in the eternal victims of a war the Jacobite’s started . Maybe there lies the reason Humza Useless supports Hamas so much, he feels some sort of kinship with those who wanted to bring down the Scottish/England union in 1745, because he sees himself as some sort of religious champion who after watching a antisemitic Mel Gibson utter the immortal words “Yea canna tak me freedom “ decided to do just that with his 2021 hatebill and the SNP crowd love him for it. All except a certain Dr who has been banned from speaking to the media about 2 (certain) SNP MPs caught doing the fandango during lockdown, maybe there lies why the SNP continue to throw so much mud at everybody and anybody simply so nobody will turn the spotlight on them.

        • I was on holiday in Scotland a couple of years ago and on our way from Inverness Airport we stopped to have a look at the battlefield of Colluden. While walking around I got into conversation with a Scottish lady , who was looking for where her clansmen, the Campbells, were in action. When I asked what side they were on she replied “both”.

        • I was born in Manchester. I still feel the pain – violated and traumatised. Can I change my birth certificate to show I was born in Reigate, or Virgina Water…?

      • I was thinking the same about the likes of The Roman Camp Hotel and Bistro in Callander (I’m a Scot, btw). 😂
        p.s. Should we bulldoze the Antonine Wall? What about the pubs called The Viking Bar or The Norseman? Will the Jacobite Steam Train have to change its name? There’s a pub in Edinburgh called The White Cockade …..

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