A Clyde shipyard’s second of two dual-fuel ferries, which is massively delayed and over budget for CalMac’s route to Arran in southwest Scotland, has reached a “key milestone.”
The MV Glen Rosa, built by Ferguson Marine at Port Glasgow, has now been moved to a nearby dry dock at Dales Marine Services in Greenock.
The dry dock will allow the state-owned yard to make a significant step towards its completion, which will involve essential maintenance, repairs, and inspections of the new-build ferry.
A package of planned works to include rudder and stabilizer inspections, welding work to the bow clam doors, and painting repairs.
The 1,000-passenger Glen Rosa, powered by both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marine diesel, which will serve the Arran route, is expected to remain in dry dock until August. At that time the 127 cars or 16 HGVs capacity ferry will return to Ferguson Marine.
The publicly owned Caledonian Maritime Assets is expected to hand over the 102m ferry in the second quarter of next year, following several delays.
Insider has further coverage of the new-build ferry, which follows its twin, Glen Sannox, which finally entered service in January, albeit seven years late.
Afloat adds that the development comes just after Ferguson Marine announced that it has signed a contract with BAE Systems to build three structural components for the UK’s Royal Navy Type 26 frigate programme, which involves HMS Birmingham.
