MV Glen Rosa

MV Glen Rosa (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Ruasaidh) is a Scottish dual-fuel car and passenger ferry currently under construction at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow on the River Clyde. She is expected to enter service with Caledonian MacBrayne on the Ardrossan to Brodick route, serving the Isle of Arran. Known as Hull 802 during construction, the vessel was initially expected to enter service in 2019, however it has been the subject of an ongoing political scandal known as the "ferry fiasco" owing to increased costs and lengthy delays to her construction, which as of September 2023 have pushed its in-service date back to 2025.[6]

Hull under construction, as of January 2020
History
NameGlen Rosa
NamesakeGlen Rosa on the Isle of Arran
OwnerCaledonian Maritime Assets Limited
OperatorCaledonian MacBrayne
Port of registryGlasgow
RouteArdrossan - Brodick
Ordered2016
BuilderFerguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd., UK
Cost£97 million contract for two ferries, current cost estimate £250 million[1]
Yard number802
IdentificationIMO number: 9794525
StatusUnder construction
General characteristics
Tonnage1,273 DWT[2]
Length102.4 m (335 ft 11 in)[2]
Beam17 m (55 ft 9 in)[2]
Draught3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)[2]
Installed power2 × Wärtsilä 34DF diesels.[3]
Propulsion
Speed14.5 kn (26.85 km/h)[2]
Capacity
  • 1,000 passengers, 127 cars or 16 HGVs (planned)[4]
    • 852 passengers (actual)[5]
December 2021, bulbous bow in place, hull section being added

The name Glen Rosa was chosen by public vote in August 2023.[7][8]

History

Glen Rosa will be the second of two Scottish ferries capable of operating on either marine diesel oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG), aiming at benefits of a marked reduction in carbon dioxide, sulphur and nitrous oxide emissions.[9] The first steel for both ships was cut on 7 April 2016. The first ship, Glen Sannox, was launched on 21 November 2017 by then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.[1]

Glen Rosa was expected to be launched in 2018, and to enter service the following year.[10] However, along with her sister ship, she has been the subject of increased costs and lengthy delays to her construction. Following delays to both ships and nationalisation of the shipyard, the second ferry was estimated in December 2019 to be delivered to CMAL in summer 2022.[11] There were delays due to the pandemic and shortages of skilled labour, and in June 2021 delivery was rescheduled for April 2023 to July 2023.[12] At the start of September 2021, installation of the bulbous bow, as well as stern sections, was reported as marking significant progress.[13]

Further delays in early 2022 saw the delivery date slip to October–December 2023.[14] The ship's delivery date was delayed again in September 2022 to the first quarter of 2024.[15] As of August 2023, the expected launch date was March 2024, with the vessel due to enter service by the end of 2024.[7][8] By the end of September 2023, however, Ferguson chief executive David Tydeman told the Scottish Government’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee that MV Glen Rosa had been further delayed and that its completion date had been pushed back from the end of 2024 to the end of May 2025.[6]

A public poll was run in August 2023 to choose a name for the vessel, which had previously been referred to as "Hull 802", from a shortlist of Claymore, Glen Cloy and Glen Rosa.[7] Glen Rosa was announced as the name on 31 August 2023, having been selected by 52% out of a total vote of nearly 5,000 entries.[8]

Service

Glen Rosa was originally ordered to serve on the "Uig Triangle" routes, linking Tarbert on Harris and Lochmaddy on North Uist with Uig on Skye. However in October 2022, CMAL ordered two new ferries for this route, leading to uncertainty about where she would be deployed.[16] In August 2023, CMAL confirmed that she would serve Arran, partnering Glen Sannox, with both dual-fuel vessels allocated to the Ardrossan to Brodick route.[7] The two new Arran ferries will initially operate between Troon and Brodick for the first two or three years of their careers, due to the planned upgrade works for Ardrossan harbour.[17]

References
  1. "IN Pictures -- Launch Of Ferry Glen Sannox At Port Glasgow". Inverclyde Now. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  2. "Presentation to Arran Ferry Committee Meeting" (PPT). CMAL. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  3. "Propulsion Package for Dual-fuel Ferries Awarded to Wartsila". CMAL. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  4. "First Minister Launches UK's First LNG Ferry". CMAL. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  5. Williams, Martin (3 October 2023). "Scots fiasco ferries have to be cut in size for safety reasons". The Herald.
  6. "Further delay and up to £24m in 'understated' costs to late CalMac ferries". STV News. 29 September 2023.
  7. "Competition Launched to Name Dual Fuel Ferry". Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL). 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  8. "Delayed CalMac ferry named Glen Rosa after public vote". BBC News. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  9. "Dual-Fuel Ferry Presentation". CMAL. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  10. "Ferry MV Glen Sannox ready for launch at Port Glasgow yard". Greenock Telegraph. 19 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  11. Ferguson Marine: report on cost and programme for vessels 801 and 802, Scottish Government, 9 December 2019, retrieved 23 December 2019
  12. "Shortage Of Workers And Covid Disruption Delay Ferguson Ferries By A Further 15 Weeks". Inverclyde Now. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  13. "Further 'Significant' Progress On Ferguson Ferries". Inverclyde Now (in Kinyarwanda). 1 September 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  14. Dalton, Alastair (23 March 2022). "Ferguson Marine ferries for CalMac delayed by another eight months to 2023". The Scotsman.
  15. "Scottish ferries contract hit by fresh delay". BBC News. 28 September 2022.
  16. "New ferries for the Clyde & Hebrides". Transport Scotland. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  17. "Ardrossan Harbour redevelopment". North Ayrshire Council. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
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