Construction of new Arran ferry is progressing well, says shipyard boss
Construction of the new Arran ferry and her sister vessel, known as Hull 802, is progressing well and the company has gained momentum following the Covid disruption, the turnaround director at Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow), Tim Hair, has said
Reporting ‘visible progress in recent months on both vessels’, he also said that the company had developed increased capability over the past 18 months and was committed to completing the vessels and building a future for the shipyard.
The comments came after the firm installed the bulbous bow on Hull 802 and confirmed that the structural work on MV Glen Sannox was completed earlier this year following the installation of a reworked funnel and newly constructed mast, as well as completion of the structure around the stern and inside the hull.
Work on both ferries is years behind schedule following a well-documented fiasco, with costs soaring as a result, but Mr Hair is confident all that is behind the now-nationalised shipyard. He said: ‘This is another significant step forward in the recovery of the shipyard, with visible progress in recent months on both vessels. The past year has been extremely challenging, working under the restrictions of the Covid pandemic. But we have gained momentum following the disruption and we are reaching important milestones.
‘A lot of work is taking place at the shipyard and our teams have been working extremely hard. Significantly more work is being done on Hull 802 while it remains on the slipway, compared to MV Glen Sannox. This means that when it launches, it will weigh 1,300 tonnes more than MV Glen Sannox did at the point of launch, providing an indication of the volume of additional work onboard the second vessel.
‘There remains a lot of work to do on both vessels, but construction is progressing well, and we are optimistic as we forge ahead. We have developed increased capability over the past 18 months with a highly experienced leadership team and a skilled and talented workforce, who are committed to completing the vessels and building a future for the shipyard.
‘We continue to do everything possible to deliver the dual-fuel ferry programme, improve productivity, secure new contracts for vessels, and protect local jobs.’
The long-delayed MV Glen Sannox, which is being constructed to serve on the Ardrossan to Brodick route, is scheduled to be delivered between July 2022 and September 2022 and Hull 802 is scheduled to be delivered between April 2023 and July 2023.