GLEN SANNOX

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Vibrations caused crack

A fault in a weld seam forced the 'Glen Sannox' out of service for two days for repairs in March, two months after being deployed on the the route Troon- Brodick. The 130mm defect close to the waterline included a 25mm section that had let in a small amount of water. Holes were drilled at each end of the crack to prevent it expanding and the seam was re-welded. The defect was on the starboard side of a machinery space near the starboard rudder. Investigations have so far discovered vibration in this particular area of Glen Sannox, which may have caused the seam to crack. Mitigations are now in place for the vibration, which only occurs near where the crack appeared. Further investigation into the root cause of the vibration was underway and CalMac and Ferguson Marine were working together on this. CalMac has said such minor weld defects had been found in some of its other ferries, but none were in the three smaller vessels built by Ferguson Marine in the 2010s. The fault forced the cancellation of sailings between Troon and Brodick in Arran, one of the company’s busiest routes, when initially discovered. It came after the 'Glen Sannox' was taken out of service for a week in February to replace parts in the anchor system. The Ferguson Marine yard has come under intense scrutiny due to the delayed and over-budget Arran ferries 'Glen Sannox' and 'Glen Rosa'.

Lift issue could affect turnaround times in port

On April 14, the 'Glen Sannox', serving on the route Troon-Brodick, suffered a control issue with the passenger lifts with only one lift remaining in operation. This had to be controlled by a crew member. The issue was expected have an effect on the turn around times of the ferry at the port. The issue has not yet been resolved as of April 15.

Protest planned on board the Glen Sannox in bid to save Ardrossan Harbour

Campaigners are set to board the 'Glen Sannox' to host a protest at Troon Harbour in a bid to save the historic route between Ardrossan and Brodick. Supporters were being urged to gather at Brodick pier on April 12 at 1 p.m. The ferry will arrive at Troon at 2.15 p.m. ,where participants will get off for a short demonstration at the harbour, before the 'Glen Sannox' makes her way back to Brodick at 3.10 p.m. The ferry is only able to sail between Brodick and Troon at present because it is too big to berth at Ardrossan Harbour. The Ardrossan Harbour Project – to develop the port and make it suitable for the new vessels – was given the go-ahead way back in 2018, but the project was paused in 2023, and a fresh business case has never emerged. The situation has been made even worse since January with the 'Caledonian Isles' having extensive repairs made to it, meaning there have not been any ferries coming in and out of Ardrossan for three months. It was expected that the 'Caledonian Isles' would return to service by the end of April but CalMac has now said it will be before the end of May. Talks with the harbour owner Peel Ports regarding a possible buyout by the Scottish Government are now underway after years of stalling, but residents have become concerned about the apparent silence since that announcement nearly two months ago. Wyllie Hume, chair of the Arran for the Ardrossan Harbour campaign, wants to get as many people onto the 'Glen Sannox' as possible to drive home the argument Ardrossan Harbour must be redeveloped to ensure the historic route is not abandoned. The 'Glen Sannox' is currently alternating with the 'Alfred' for sailings to and from Troon, which takes about 20 minutes longer than the journey to and from Ardrossan, so there are fewer return sailings from there than there were from Ardrossan. When foot passengers get to Troon, the train station is a good 20 to 25 minute walk from the ferry port so, combined with fewer sailings, it is practically impossible for them to take a day trip to Glasgow. People on Arran are also having difficulties getting to medical appointments at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, which is easily reachable by bus from Ardrossan but much more challenging to get to from Troon.