'Glen Sannox' to take over Tarbert and Lochmaddy

The vessel will have to undergo further berthing trials before being deployed on the route.

placeholder image — The vessel will have to undergo further berthing trials before being deployed on the route.

The MV Glen Sannox – built at a cost of £250 million for operation on the Clyde – seems set to take over the Uig-Tarbert-Lochmaddy triangle as CalMac again shuffle their ailing fleet.

As reported in last week’s Gazette, the MV Isle of Lewis is to be out of action for a further three months, forcing yet another reappraisal of where vessels can be deployed. A charter of the MV Alfred has been extended.

While the introduction of the ‘Glen Sannox’ to the “triangle” is initially set to last until mid-April, this will depend on the early return of other vessels from annual maintenance, which has not been the recent pattern.

The identical sister ship of the ‘Glen Sannox’, now named the ‘Glen Rosa’ and still under construction at the Ferguson yard in Port Glasgow, was originally intended for Tarbert and Lochmaddy routes and many millions were spent on linkspans to accommodate the vessel before the plan changed.

In theory therefore, there should be no berthing problem for the ‘Glen Sannox’. However, when she undertook sea trials in the area last year, Lochmaddy proved to be “a tight fit” and new trials will be carried out before the arrangement is finalised.

Since finally being introduced last year, the ‘Glen Sannox’ has spent a third of the time in drydock for repairs.

Arrangements for the Castlebay and Lochboisdale resulting from the absence of the ‘Isle of Lewis’ have not been finalised.

CalMac said: “We are working hard to finalise plans from Monday 9 March onwards, when MV Isle of Lewis would have been due back, through until the end of May”.

Meanwhile, the Ferguson yard has been given direct awards for the second phase of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme to build ferries the Sounds of Barra and Harris, as well as replacements for the Scotia marine research vessel, and the Minna marine protection vessel.

This cleared the way for the Scottish Government to authorise CMAL to open a procurement process for a replacement for MV Lord of the Isles, which has been on hold for seven months awaiting a decision about a direct award to Ferguson’s.