CalMac has already spent £1,141,695 on repairs and maintenance to the MV Glen Sannox, which only entered service – more than seven years late – in January 2025, the Scottish Conservatives can reveal.
A freedom of information response to the party disclosed that in financial year 2024/25 a total of £740,879 was spent by the ferry operator on repairs and maintenance to the new vessel, which was handed over by Ferguson Marine in November 2024. A further £400,815 was spent by CalMac in 2025/26 up until 30 October 2025.
This revelation comes after the cost to the taxpayer of building the Glen Sannox and its sister vessel the Glen Rosa – which were due to enter service in 2017 and 2018 respectively – rose from £97 million to around £460 million.
The Glen Sannox, which was built by the nationalised Ferguson Marine yard, has been withdrawn for repairs three times since it entered service.
Shadow transport secretary Sue Webber said taxpayers will be furious at the latest “eye-watering” ferries bill, adding that SNP ministerial heads should roll for this national scandal.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary Sue Webber MSP said: “It’s staggering that a ferry costing hundreds of millions of pounds and delivered seven years late has been pulled from service three times in its opening few months, racking up eye-watering repair costs.
“Arran residents will be outraged that after waiting so long for the MV Glen Sannox to come on stream it still can’t be relied upon and it’s still bleeding the taxpayer dry.
“Scotland’s island communities continue to suffer due to the SNP’s dismal failure to provide a reliable fleet of ferries. This chaos has been going on for years.
“It’s beyond a joke that not one Nationalist minister has lost their job over the ferries scandal, while senior figures at Ferguson Marine and CalMac have been made scapegoats for it.
“It’s time SNP heads rolled for this national scandal.”
Notes to editors
CalMac has spent £1,141,695 on repairs and maintenance to the MV Glen Sannox. (Scottish Conservative FOI, Available on request).
|
Financial Year |
Total Spend (£) |
|
2024/25 |
740,879 |
|
2025/26* |
400,815 |
|
Total |
1,141,695 |
*2025/26 figures are reported up to 31 October 2025
The ferries fiasco has been ongoing since 2014. The MV Glen Sannox and the MV Glen Rosa were originally budgeted at £97 million, but the total cost of building the two ferries spiralled to around £460 million. The Glen Sannox entered service less than a year ago but has been in for repairs three times. The MV Glen Rosa is expected to be delivered later in 2026. (The Scotsman, 30 October 2025, link).
The Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa were originally meant to enter service in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The Transport Scotland press release from October 2014 states that: “The first vessel is to be delivered by the end of 2017. The second vessel will follow some months later”. (Transport Scotland, 15 October 2014, link).
The MV Glen Sannox was handed over to CMAL on 21 November 2024. (CMAL, 21 November 2025, link).
The MV Glen Sannox encountered problems with its sewage system before entering service. The operator said “minor remedial work” was required on the ship’s sewage system. It is among several “technical issues” still to be resolved, which are understood to also include adjustments to an electronic system on the ferry’s bridge. (The Scotsman, 4 January 2025, link).
The MV Glen Sannox started operating for CalMac on 12 January 2025. It made its first scheduled journey between Troon in South Ayrshire and Brodick on Arran. The vessel will make three return sailings each day, with the journey lasting 75 minutes. (BBC News, 12 January 2025, link).
Glen Sannox sailings were disrupted due to a technical fault days after its maiden voyage. A fault on the Glen Sannox has resulted in services being disrupted days after the millions over-budget ferry set sail on its maiden voyage. The ferry operator has confirmed the issue has since been resolved but that services will now operate at a “slight delay” for the remainder of the day. (STV News, 18 January 2025, link).
The MV Glen Sannox had emergency repairs after a crack was found in the hull. CalMac said the welding work was carried out following an assessment by divers, and it underwent a fresh examination earlier. The new vessel only began operating in January. (BBC, 16 March 2025, link).
MV Glen Sannox was taken out of service for a third time in October. It was taken to a Merseyside dry dock for a programme of works. It comes just weeks after the 850-passenger vessel had been forced to undergo a second set of repairs after less than ten months in service. (Scotsman, 30 October 2025, link).