“Significant Milestone” for Arran as CalMac’s Glen Rosa Ferry Officially Launched
6 years late but worth the wait? The MV Glen Rosa – previously known as Hull 802 – launched from the Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow on Tuesday, April 9. The impressive vessel had originally been earmarked for service in the Outer Hebrides before CMAL and CalMac decided it would operate on the Arran route.
Glen Rosa’s sister ship Glen Sannox, which recently underwent its first sea trials, is expected to join the Arran route. However, until the Ardrossan Port can be upgraded, both ferries will run from Troon instead, meaning longer journey times and fewer crossings.
The Glen Rosa and Glen Sannox can carry up to 852 passengers each plus at least 127 cars or 16 heavy goods vehicles. The sister ships are also the first of their kind capable of operating on either marine diesel oil or liquefied natural gas, the benefits of which include a reduction in carbon dioxide, sulphur and nitrous oxide emissions.
Alistair Lee, Director of Property Sales at Watermans, the leading estate agents on Arran, said –
“The residents on Arran have been crying out for better transport links for years and it’s been a frustrating journey to this point. However, it’s brilliant to see this step in the right direction today, and we can all hope for smooth sailing from here.”