Latest news with #GlenSannox
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Higher costs and fewer journeys: these ferries make no sense
Further, the current Type 23 will be in service for many years to come supporting and protecting our aircraft carriers. Today, Business Editor Ian McConnell editor sets out to laud the Glen Sannox and her boost to the Arran economy ("Does 'ferry fiasco' vessel offer hope for Arran?", The Herald, May 30). The Caledonian Isles will return from Brigadoon soon, so we are told, and run from Ardrossan and so we have two mainland ports serving Arran with all the associated costs. Her design capacity is 1,000 passengers and 110 cars, and with five return journeys per day allows 10,000 and 1,110 passenger and vehicle journeys respectively. When augmented by the MV Isle of Arran, whose design capacity is 448 passengers and 76 cars, this allows an additional 4,480 and 760 journeys respectively and a total of 14,480 passenger and 1,870 car journeys per day from Ardrossan. The Glen Sannox is limited to 852 passengers with 127 cars. The higher capacity is not available in service because it can only do three of the longer Troon return journeys per day, allowing 5,112 and 762 respective journeys per day along with a 40 per cent increase in fuel burn, increased maintenance and running costs and the cost of an additional port giving massive and unnecessary overheads, all for the same capacity as the MV Isle of Arran. As and when or if the MV Glen Rosa comes on service, those overheads double and 4,256 passenger and 346 vehicle journeys will be lost per day, as will the popular day trips for tourism or necessary mainland visits. Apparently that is good business. Peter Wright, West Kilbride. • Stan Grodynski unfortunately continues to fail to understand the basic facts behind the Type 26 frigates, and the comparison to Arran's ferries, in his ongoing deflection from the SNP's total mishandling of Ferguson Marine. Of course the Type 26 programme did begin in 1998 – with an evaluation phase. Unlike CalMac and the Scottish Government, the Ministry of Defence makes plans decades ahead to assess ship replacement programmes, with current plans under way for the Type 83 destroyer as replacement for the Type 45 and provisionally planned for around 2040. From 1998, the extensive planning stage led to a contract being awarded for the design of the Type 26 – itself a lengthy process –at the same time evaluating future overall fleet requirements, with the actual construction contract then awarded in 2017. The design of a complex warship understandably takes a little longer than that of a ferry. From construction contract award to delivery, it remains the simple fact that the Type 26 budget excess is 5% against Ferguson Marine's 670%. Additionally, the Global Combat Ship's design has also been sold to Australia and Canada for their construction of a further 24 vessels. I don't recall any other countries rushing to order 24 "Glen" ferries. With regard to the aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth was ordered in 2007 with delivery due in 2015. Being commissioned in 2017 – two years late – her overrun is still five years fewer than that of the Glen Sannox. Her contract was initially costed at £4.1 billion, eventually rising to £6.2bn, an increase of around 50% in part attributable to delays caused by the global financial crisis, and including changes to the planned aircraft to be deployed – still considerably less than Ferguson Marine's 670%. Unlike the Glen Sannox, HMS Queen Elizabeth also has the added benefit of being able to fit into her home port. Perhaps Mr Grodynski would acknowledge that an 80,000 tonne state of the art warship is a rather more complex build than a 1,200-tonne ferry. Steph Johnson, Glasgow. Read more letters Prized strengths of our MSPs The supposed controversy over Scottish Labour's Hamilton candidate, Davy Russell, following a low profile ("Labour's by-election candidate denies he has hindered campaign", The Herald, May 29), rather raises the question: what do we want from our MSPs? Which strengths do we prize? Perhaps we should not expect individuals to be proficient in every dimension? While the Scottish Parliament is about laying down well-worded and structured laws, there is clearly much more for MSPs than that. Serving the needs and tackling the problems of individuals and communities, for one. Organising a small team to respond to constituents, for two. Being open to ideas across party boundaries, influencing colleague MSPs and aware of what's going on in the country, for three. Contributing that knowledge and previous experience to debate whether in the chamber or on the 16 committees, also important. Increasingly, it feels that being grounded in the constituency can add great value to representation. Appearing on television and speaking in public seem to me to be rather less important. And of course, the modern way – good regular use of social media – is an attribute. I provided radio snippets on BBC Radio Scotland for 20 years and much preferred that medium to television because I could have my notes laid out in front of me, unseen. Could I have spoken well without notes on television? Possibly. Did I want to? No. Philip Gaskell (Dr), Drymen. • Question Time from Cheltenham (BBC1, May 29) had a distinctly cautious air about it. With the exception of politics blogger Ava Santina-Evans who tried (and failed) to stir controversy with bizarre remarks and facial expressions, the three politicians – Heidi Alexander (Lab), David Simmonds (Con) and Jess Brown-Fuller (Lib Dem) – and political commentator/journalist Tim Montgomerie all acquitted themselves well. Their responses were waffle-free and well delivered. No talking over one another. It was as if a pre-arranged consensus had been agreed. Perhaps with the newly-arrived "spectre on the block" represented here by the loquacious Tim Montgomerie "own goals" were to be carefully avoided. Apart from one impassioned tirade on the deteriorating Gaza conflict the panel were given an easy ride by a polite Cheltenham audience. Overall, not a memorable session. It does however confirm that political opponents can and should work for the common wealth of all. That augurs well in these troubled times. Allan C Steele, Giffnock. A penny for our NHS Our NHS hits the headlines once again ("One in nine Scots face long waits for planned treatments on NHS", The Herald, May 28) and yet opposition parties jump up and down and engage in political point-scoring. Those same parties have been in charge of the NHS in other parts of the UK and have failed to come up with a solution to long waiting are no constructive ideas, no examples of better practice, only criticism which demoralises loyal and dedicated NHS staff. There is no magic wand. We all need to take some responsibility for the system, for instance, by not missing appointments, using the fully-joined-up approach of considering a visit to the pharmacy first, taking pressure off other services further down the line. NHS nurses and doctors in Scotland are the best-paid in the UK. The Scottish Government's latest accepted pay offer continues this theme with staff, including nurses, midwives, paramedics and porters, receiving a 4.25% pay rise this year, backdated to April 1, and a further 3.75% increase in 2026/27. This is the SNP recognising their dedication. The Government has invested massive amounts in our NHS, yet services still demand more. Perhaps a tax increase of 1p in the pound ring-fenced for the health service is one to put on the table. This option would be more palatable here than UK Labour's approach of back door privatisation. Catriona C Clark, Falkirk. Trans question was valid In his reply to Jane Lax's letter of May 29, Tim Hopkins, LGBTI campaigner and former CEO of Equality Network, seems to backhandedly accuse her of specifically transphobic discrimination (Letters, May 30). Why? Because, in essence, she asks a valid question about the use of debating time in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament and expresses criticism of the Presiding Officer's decision to allow a topic which many fellow voters in Scotland may deem not as pressing as, for example, issues around policing, transport, taxes and more. Whether Mr Hopkins likes it or not, in a democracy this kind of questioning, expressed publicly, is not only allowed but also desirable. His whataboutism about disabled wheelchair users doesn't distract from that. Regina Erich, Stonehaven. • Tim Hopkins is always very keen to speak on behalf of the trans community, so I wonder if he could answer a simple question. He writes to these columns claiming that toilet arrangements mean that trans people cannot visit or work in the Scottish Parliament with dignity and privacy, so can he please tell us what is undignified or non-private about using one of the gender-neutral toilets in that building? (I would also point out that using a toilet is not a very dignified process for any of us, necessity that it is.) Peter Russell, Glasgow. Davy Russell, Labour's candidate in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by election, campaigning with Angela Rayner on Thursday (Image: PA) Digital hang-ups I was amused to see BT's full-page advertisements in The Herald this week. Our village has been connected to the fibre network so in November I called BT asking to be upgraded to Full Fibre. Although I called BT, I was advised that I would be going with EE as BT was becoming EE – are you following me so far? There was a period of four weeks when our 01786-numbered landline was now a 01360 number. When the 01786 number was reinstated, I could not call numbers within my area code for a week or so. Four months and over seven hours of phone calls later, during which time I was speaking to either BT or EE all over the country, we are finally sorted. BT's advertisement states that we'll get protection from scams and nuisance calls although I haven't found that to be the case. Steve Barnet, Gargunnock. The Flying South African Your photograph of the post-war resumption of the non-stop run of the Flying Scotsman train from Edinburgh to London ("Remember when … the Flying Scotsman went back into active service', The Herald, May 29) evokes memories of the age of steam-hauled rail travel. In this instance, the Flying Scotsman train was not hauled by the eponymous Gresley Class A3 Pacific which operated for British Railways under the number 60103. As the photograph depicts, the engine was number 60009, a Gresley Class A4 Pacific named Union of South Africa. Following withdrawal by British Railways in the 1960s, both engines were preserved. Richard Dent, Bearsden.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac Glen Sannox's ferry - will it help Arran bounce back?
This is not to declare the decision in the procurement process, led by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, that it should be a dual-fuel ferry capable of operating on marine diesel and liquefied natural gas did not add unnecessary and lamentable complexity. Rather, it is to observe the scale of the vessel, including its capacity, and the passenger experience. The mood on the packed vessel was no doubt helped by the fact that the sailing was on a Saturday at the peak of the recent long sunny spell, arguably a heatwave by Scottish standards. The stillness of the water was a lot more reminiscent of the Greek islands than the west of Scotland, and its colour, while not quite as vivid as the Aegean perhaps, was as impressive as it was uncharacteristic. There were seals swimming close to a buoy as the ferry departed. And the water in the distance at the base of Arran appeared almost white. CalMac's roll and bacon and potato scone was of the usual high standard. Memories of the coffee from the days when I travelled on CalMac ferries regularly when working for The Oban Times were of a large mug of strong black coffee. These days, you can purchase a latte in a takeaway cup featuring CalMac's yellow and red logo. The boat is very well fitted out, and the passenger experience is undoubtedly a good one, comparing it with some very pleasant ferry crossings throughout Europe. It was impossible, even in the relaxed atmosphere and glorious sunshine, not to contemplate briefly the effect on Arran of the Glen Sannox at last being in service. In this context, it is worth bearing in mind that the Glen Sannox is for now sailing between Troon and Brodick. And the Troon experience is quite different for a foot passenger arriving by rail from the arrangements at Ardrossan, where the train station is right next to the ferry terminal. CalMac will be operating the returning Caledonian Isles between Ardrossan and Brodick during its summer timetable, while the Glen Sannox will continue sailing between Troon and Arran. Clearly, residents on Arran have had to get used to a lot of upheaval in recent years, and the island has undoubtedly been hit hard by the unreliability of ferry services as it waited for the Glen Sannox. The Glen Sannox started sailing on the Troon to Brodick route in January (Image: Ian McConnell) Years late too is the Glen Rosa, which is also being built at Ferguson Marine and is now not expected to be in service on the Troon to Arran route until the second quarter of next year. Colin Morrison, finance director and company secretary of Auchrannie Resort, highlighted in an interview with The Herald in January the effect of the lack of reliability of ferry services in recent winters, and crucially also the publicity around this, in making people less confident about visiting. Mr Morrison, noting the new vessel's greater capacity and ability to operate in weather conditions in which the smaller Isle of Arran ferry could not, said then: 'It is good to see it in service. Certainly in the first couple of weeks it has been sailing in winds which would have prevented the Isle of Arran from sailing.' Read more It has been difficult to escape the impression that some politically motivated observers who have delighted in what has become known as Scotland's 'ferry fiasco' might almost have been hoping the arrival of the Glen Sannox on the route would be less smooth than has been the case. That said, minor issues have generated huge headlines. This is perhaps not surprising, given the high profile of the vessel caused in large part by the monumental cost overruns and delays in the building of it as well as the effect of this woe on CalMac services. However, what is surely important now is that Arran recovers from the troubles caused by ferry service disruption in recent years, and that tourism providers and others on the island can benefit from the arrival of the Glen Sannox, and eventually also the Glen Rosa when it turns up. It was interesting to catch up with the management of Auchrannie this week to find out about the resort's experience of the Glen Sannox, now that the vessel has been operating on the Troon to Brodick route for more than four months. And it was good to hear this experience has generally been positive. Auchrannie is obviously a business which relies so much on the CalMac ferry services. It has over the decades worked closely with the ferry operator, including offering packages inclusive of CalMac sailings. Tom Jessop, head of finance at the employee-owned Auchrannie Resort, said this week that 'ferry reliability has improved significantly since Glen Sannox entered service'. He did note that 'the weather since then has also been comparatively favourable'. Mr Jessop revealed that '2025 occupancy and forward bookings at the resort are up 5% on last year'. He added: 'We believe this is due to improved ferry reliability and capacity, better weather conditions, and less negative press coverage, which translates to an increase in customer confidence. With all of that said, signs look good that the Glen Sannox can sail in more challenging conditions than older ferries, and this bodes well for the future.' While there are obviously lessons to be learned from the delays and cost overruns in building the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa, what matters for people and businesses on Arran is what happens from here. In this regard it is most heartening to hear Auchrannie, a major employer on Arran which works closely with other businesses on the island and plays a big part in attracting visitors, express positive sentiments about the experience so far of the Glen Sannox sailing on the route and the outlook.
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Arran hotel reveals Glen Sannox ferry uplift for bookings
Commenting in January on an increase in losses at Auchrannie in the year to March 2024, finance director and company secretary Colin Morrison had said: 'Probably ferries have been a bigger impact than the economic climate. There has been a lot of ferry disruption over the last few winters. It has obviously knocked consumer confidence a bit. If people have come one winter and have been hit, they are less likely to come the following winter.' Read more The Glen Sannox finally entered service between the mainland and Arran in mid-January - years later than planned following major delays and cost overruns in its construction at the Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow. Asked this week by The Herald about Auchrannie's experience of the Glen Sannox since the ferry came into service, the resort's head of finance, Tom Jessop, said: 'Ferry reliability has improved significantly since Glen Sannox entered service, but the weather since then has also been comparatively favourable. 2025 occupancy and forward bookings at the resort are up 5% on last year. 'We believe this is due to improved ferry reliability and capacity, better weather conditions, and less negative press coverage, which translates to an increase in customer confidence. With all of that said, signs look good that the Glen Sannox can sail in more challenging conditions than older ferries, and this bodes well for the future.' Auchrannie Resort saw its pre-tax losses widen to £474,260 in the year to March 31, 2024, from £111,447 in the prior 12 months, partly because of increased staff and interest costs. Turnover rose marginally, from £10.44 million to £10.64m Mr Morrison in January highlighted hopes of an improvement in Auchrannie's financial performance in the year to March 2025, noting then that it was on course to be significantly better than expected, through containing costs as opposed to revenue growth.
The National
5 days ago
- Business
- The National
Ardrossan Harbour deal 'far from complete', campaigners claim
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced earlier this year that she had asked officials to look at the potential purchase of the harbour in North Ayrshire. For almost 200 years, ferries have left from the harbour for Arran, but for the majority of this year there have been no services from Ardrossan because the Glen Sannox – and its sister ship Glen Rosa that is yet to enter service – are too big to berth there. The Glen Sannox has been travelling to Arran from Troon alongside the MV Alfred, while the Caledonian Isles – which is due to return to Ardrossan next month – has been out of action since January 2024. The Ardrossan Harbour Task Force met for the first time in a year in April after which the Scottish Government said it remained committed to trying to purchase the site. READ MORE: Robin McAlpine: Why I'm angry about the approval of the Loch Lomond Flamingo Land plan However, since then, campaigners from Arran for Ardrossan Harbour have met with CMAL, Transport Scotland, CalMac and Peel Ports – which currently owns the site. Wyllie Hume, chair of the group, claimed they were told at the meeting by Kevin Hobbs, CEO of government-owned ferries and harbours body CMAL, that the public ownership deal is "far from complete". He also claimed CMAL said Peel Ports was asking for 'an exorbitant amount' for the dilapidated harbour that it could not afford. Hume added: 'Throughout the entire meeting, he and the Transport [Scotland] representative treated us as an irritant and gave the impression that they were meeting us under sufferance. 'A no point in the discussions did Mr Hobbs say he was committed to saving Ardrossan Harbour or that he is strongly committed to pursuing the buyout.' (Image: Arran for Ardrossan Harbour) Hume said the group now plans to campaign 'more aggressively' against Peel Ports, including organising a protest outside the company's offices in Glasgow. Peel Ports said it has been working with 'pace and energy' on negotiations, but claimed this has not been matched by other parties at the table. Transport Scotland said a timeline 'can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful'. Bosses explained that neither CMAL or the Scottish Government could force the sale of a port or use compulsory purchase powers under existing harbours legislation. READ MORE: Highlands and Islands residents split over £100bn investment plan CMAL told The National it remains 'fully committed' to maintaining a 'robust and resilient' ferry service but must ensure 'we deliver the best value for the public purse'. The task force involves Transport Scotland, North Ayrshire Council, Peel Ports, CalMac, CMAL, the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee and the area's MSP Kenneth Gibson. The Ardrossan port requires a costly berth realignment in order to accommodate the new Glen Sannox – which entered service to Arran in January – and the Glen Rosa – which is now not due to be delivered until 2026. The Ardrossan Harbour Project – to develop the port and make it suitable for the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa – was given the go-ahead way back in 2018 by then transport minister Humza Yousaf, but the project was paused in 2023 and a fresh business case has never emerged. With ferries only going in and out of Troon for the past few months, residents in Arran have been struggling to get 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. There are also fears Ardrossan could suffer a similar fate to Stranraer, which in 2011 lost the ferry to Northern Ireland after more than 150 years. The local economy quickly took a significant downturn after Stena Line moved up the coast to Cairnryan. A spokesperson from CMAL said: 'We met with Save Ardrossan Harbour, Arran for Ardrossan Harbour, CalMac and Transport Scotland at the CMAL offices last week to discuss the current situation. While we recognise this is an emotive issue for the Arran and Ardrossan communities, we are in the middle of a commercial negotiation process, which limits the amount of information that can be shared. 'We are fully committed to maintaining a robust and resilient ferry service for the Isle of Arran, and no option is off the table. However, we must also ensure we deliver the best value for the public purse.' Transport Scotland said it will update Parliament and the community once there is progress to report. A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and their frustration that there is not yet more progress to report. 'The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future and we want to see progress just as much as local campaigners do. However, as was explained to them when they met recently with CMAL, Transport Scotland and CalMac, a timeline can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful. 'CMAL and Peel Ports need time and space to undertake and conclude negotiations.' A Peel Ports spokesperson said: 'We've entered negotiations in good faith, working with pace and energy to a timetable we believed was achievable. Unfortunately, that pace and energy hasn't been matched by those at the negotiating table. 'We appreciate that the buyers have other ferry issues to contend with but reaching a swift conclusion will require them to give this negotiation a higher priority.'
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Ferguson Marine: Why has ScotGov kept financing the firm?
It comes as it emerged that the Port Glasgow yard was not certain to get the money it needs to complete a lifeline island vessel at the centre of a "new farce" over soaring delays and costs. Ferguson Marine has struggled with the long-delayed and wildly over-budget construction of MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, the first dual-fuel ferries built in the UK capable of running on liquefied natural gas. What is Ferguson Marine? Ferguson Marine is a historic shipyard located in Port Glasgow, on the River Clyde in Scotland. Founded in 1903, it has been a significant part of Scotland's shipbuilding heritage and is one of the last remaining shipyards in the country capable of building large vessels. Why is Ferguson Marine important to Scotland? It represents the legacy of Scottish shipbuilding and provides skilled employment in the Inverclyde area, which has suffered from deindustrialisation. It is seen by many as a national asset in terms of maritime capabilities. Its supporters say the nation needs a domestic shipbuilding base for building and maintaining vessels for ferries, defence, and offshore industries. Politically, it also stands as a symbol of the Scottish Government's ambition to maintain and revive industrial capacity, especially under public ownership. What is the current status of Ferguson Marine? The state-owned shipyard located in Port Glasgow, Scotland, is facing significant challenges. The shipyard has been working on two ferries, the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa, which have experienced extensive delays and cost overruns. Originally scheduled for completion in 2018 with a budget of £97 million, the costs are expected to rise to more than five times that figure. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in January 2025, while the Glen Rosa's arrival has been put back for a further six months and will not see service until between April and June of next year at the earliest - while costs have risen by a further £35m. What are the main challenges facing Ferguson Marine? The primary issues relate to financial sustainability because the shipyard is said to lack confirmed contracts beyond the completion of the current ferries, raising concerns about its future viability. It has just lost a key contract to delivery seven loch-class ferries for Scotland to Poland. There are concerns about its operational efficiency as delays and cost overruns have highlighted issues in project management, And there has been concerns about leadership stability with a series of executive and managerial changes and past difficulties in recruiting a permanent chief executive. It has been by reputational issues with its most high profile problem - the much- delayed and over-budget delivery of two ferries - Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa - which were meant to be operational in the first half of 2018. Reports highlighted serious problems in project management, including design flaws, poor documentation, and quality control failures. CalMac (Image: PA) It led to the Scottish Government's nationalisation of Ferguson Marine to prevent its collapse. This move saved jobs but brought the yard's problems into the public sector. What are the broader implications for Scotland from these issues? It has damaged confidence in the Scottish Government's and the yard management's ability to manage large infrastructure projects. Delays to new ferries have exacerbated transport problems for islanders, affecting tourism, supplies, and daily life. It also raises questions about how and whether governments should intervene in failing industries — and how to do so effectively. Why does Ferguson Marine require support? As the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde, it is a significant employer in Port Glasgow, and its closure would adversely affect the local economy. It has strategic importance as it is the only remaining shipyard on the lower Clyde that builds commercial ships. The success or failure of Ferguson Marine may influence whether Scotland maintains a sovereign shipbuilding capability or becomes entirely reliant on private and international yards. It is considered by its advocates that maintaining domestic shipbuilding capabilities in Scotland is vital for national infrastructure and maritime needs. But investment is needed to modernise facilities and secure future contracts. GMB, the main union representing staff at the yard is instrumental in representing the interests of the workforce. It has been actively advocating for job security - to ensure that employees' jobs are protected amid the shipyard's financial uncertainties. It opposes plans for privatisation, arguing that public ownership is crucial for the yard's stability and future. And it has been calling for government investment. What is the future outlook for Ferguson Marine? The future of Ferguson Marine remains uncertain. While there are opportunities, such as potential contracts for further small ferry replacements and collaborations with larger shipyards, these are said to be contingent on securing the necessary investment and improving operational efficiency. The Scottish Government's commitment and the shipyard's ability to address its challenges are considered to be critical in determining its long-term viability . What steps are being considered to secure the shipyard's future? Ferguson Marine has been exploring collaborations with larger shipyards to enhance competitiveness for new contracts and has been proposing investments to upgrade shipyard infrastructure.
