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Scottish Shipyard Ferry Fiasco Newbuild Involved in Storm Malik River Drama

30th January 2022
Scottish shipyard ferry Glen Sannox involved (see video) in dramatic scenes during Storm Malik. Scottish shipyard ferry Glen Sannox involved (see video) in dramatic scenes during Storm Malik. Credit: HeraldScotland-twitter

One of the newbuild ferries at the centre of Scotland's shipbuilding fiasco was involved in a fresh drama as it had to face the rigours of Storm Malik.

The beleaguered would-be lifeline ferry Glen Sannox which has been languishing at the state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow nearly five years after it was 'launched' by the First Minister needed assistance from two tugs as battled to stay in dock.

A video of the dramatic scenes posted by the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee showed the tugs supporting the 336 foot vessel as the storm hit the last remaining shipbuilder on the lower Clyde.

The 23-foot CMS Wrestler, was one of the tugs which gave assistance to Glen Sannox which was due to serve on one of Scotland's busiest crossing, the Ardrossan to Arran service between July and September this year - four years later than expected.

Earlier this month it emerged delays in the installation of pipework on Glen Sannox could further delay putting the vessel into service.

HeraldScotland has further coverage of the incident and more on the second ferry.  

Published in Shipyards
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Shipyards

Afloat will be focusing on news and developments of shipyards with newbuilds taking shape on either slipways and building halls.

The common practice of shipbuilding using modular construction, requires several yards make specific block sections that are towed to a single designated yard and joined together to complete the ship before been launched or floated out.

In addition, outfitting quays is where internal work on electrical and passenger facilities is installed (or upgraded if the ship is already in service). This work may involve newbuilds towed to another specialist yard, before the newbuild is completed as a new ship or of the same class, designed from the shipyard 'in-house' or from a naval architect consultancy. Shipyards also carry out repair and maintenance, overhaul, refit, survey, and conversion, for example, the addition or removal of cabins within a superstructure. All this requires ships to enter graving /dry-docks or floating drydocks, to enable access to the entire vessel out of the water.

Asides from shipbuilding, marine engineering projects such as offshore installations take place and others have diversified in the construction of offshore renewable projects, from wind-turbines and related tower structures. When ships are decommissioned and need to be disposed of, some yards have recycling facilities to segregate materials, though other vessels are run ashore, i.e. 'beached' and broken up there on site. The scrapped metal can be sold and made into other items.