Glen Sannox sails into the isles amid LNG doubts

​Fresh controversy continues to surround the vessel with serious questions about whether dual-fuelling with Liquefied Natural Gas, which led to vast additional costs and delays, will bring any environmental benefits whatsoever.

Islanders will finally set eyes on the Glen Sannox when she comes alongside at ports including Stornoway, Ullapool, Tarbert, Uig and Lochmaddy. The trials are scheduled to take place between Friday and Monday, subject to weather and sea conditions.

A CalMac spokesman said: “Whilst the vessel will operate to Arran, these trials help futureproof the ferry service on multiple routes, as we’ll know where MV Glen Sannox could operate during periods of disruption.

“We are therefore looking to conduct these network trials in and around our final operational testing period before the vessel commences service.

"This would avoid having to remove her from service for these trials if they were required at a later date.”

A CalMac study has shown that the Glen Sannox will produce almost 50 per cent more carbon emissions than the one she replaces on the route, MV Caledonian Isles. Ferry owner CMAL said the comparison was invalid due to difference in size while critics responded that their calculation does not include bringing the LNG from Qatar.

Even before the CalMac study was made known, CMAL’s chief executive, Kevin Hobbs, was set to face tough questions from MSPs next week about whether using LNG on the two “Ferguson ferries” was ever likely to lead to any reduction in emissions.

CMAL were previously forced to make a written correction to evidence given to Holyrood’s Net Zero and Transport committee when they claimed dual fuel ferries “will reduce the carbon footprint of our ferry fleet by 25 per cent overall”.

Prior to next week’s hearing, committee chairman, Edward Mountain MSP, has asked for a paper provided by retired naval architect Euan Hague to be distributed to members.

Mr Hague states: “The writer has no objection to LNG but merely wishes the full implications of its use are undisguised. LNG had implications for ship design, systems complexity, shore facilities, difficulty of vessel construction, and costs of constructing vessels and shore infrastructure. These were not fully explored in the formative stages of the project”.

Originally, one of the ferries – now named Glen Rosa – was supposed to serve the Little Minch routes with LNG imported from Qatar and trucked from Kent to Uig, before it was decided to deploy both vessels, once completed, on the Arran route.

Mr Hague maintains critical decisions were repeatedly based on false assumptions about emissions.

He cites a report, commissioned by CalMac in 2016 from Herbert Engineering Company, which found that “from a greenhouse gas perspective, the benefit of using LNG does not seem significant”.

According to Mr Hague: “Transport Scotland, CalMac and CMAL have a long history of omitting or understating emissions”.