IT could be the most long awaited ferry in history.

As revealed last week, the MV Glen Sannox will finally be serving the island of Arran from January next year, following its official handover to CalMac.

But it's been a really long time coming. And rather than sailing from an upgraded and improved Ardrossan Harbour, the vessel will begin service from Troon Harbour.

Basically, they designed a ship that couldn't fit in its intended port.

Glen Sannox docks at BrodickGlen Sannox docks at Brodick (Image: Alistair Forsyth) John Petticrew, interim chief executive of Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow), where the 102m long vessel was built, said the handover date on Wednesday, November 20, was "a day to look forward".

Here, we take a look back at a timeline of the long and often tortured journey of the Glen Sannox from the conception stage to its completion.

DECEMBER 2012

  • The Scottish Government ferry plan proposes two large new duel-fuel vessels to be built, adapted to use the environmentally friendlier liquified natural gas (LNG).

AUGUST 2014

  • The struggling Ferguson Marine shipyard in Inverclyde goes into administration - just weeks before the Scottish Independence Referendum. First Minister Alex Salmond intervenes and persuades businessman Jim McColl to buy out the shipyard.

OCTOBER 2014

  • The start of the procurement process for two new LNG ferries is announced by Transport Minister Keith Brown. Six companies are invited to submit tenders.

AUGUST 2015

  • Ferguson Marine is announced as the preferred bidder for the £97 million contract as new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visits the yard.

OCTOBER 2015

  • The contracts are signed with Ferguson Marine to construct vessels 801 (Glen Sannox) for delivery in May 2018 and 802 (Glen Rosa) for delivery in July 2018.

NOVEMBER 2017

  • The Glen Sannox is officially launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. But the vessel is substantially incomplete, with windows simply painted on and the funnels not operational.

JULY 2018

  • Ferguson Marine claims £17.5m for additional costs, the Scottish Government's Clyde Marine Assets Ltd argue the claim was not valid, but the amount handed over was increased.

AUGUST 2018

  • New Transport Minister Michael Matheson says the Glen Sannox would now be delivered in June 2019, followed by two months of crew familiarisation and sea trials. Meanwhile it becomes apparent that the design of the new ferry meant it could not operate from Ardrossan unless a major harbour redevelopment was carried out.

AUGUST 2019

  • With still no sign of the Sannox entering service, Ferguson Marine falls into administration. The Scottish Government announce a nationalisation plan to take the company into public ownership.

DECEMBER 2019

  • The nationalisation is completed. But a report now revealed that Glen Sannox would be handed over in the last quarter of 2021, and that completing the two ferries was likely to increase the total cost to more than £207m.

MARCH 2020

  • The pandemic hits and Ferguson Marine was either closed or on restrictive working for six months.

SEPTEMBER 2022

  • Further delays and cost rises are confirmed. The ferries would now cost £340m in total.

SEPTEMBER 2023

  • The Glen Sannox fails a safety audit and further work is ordered. Sea trials are postponed until 2024.

FEBRUARY 2024

(Image: Jane Barlow/PA)

  • The sea trials finally begin.

JUNE 2024

  • A final delivery date of August 19 is announced. (Spoiler... it's not the final delivery date...)

NOVEMBER 2024

A CalMac ship’s master raises a red ensign to mark the handoverA CalMac ship’s master raises a red ensign to mark the handover (Image: Robert Perry)

  • The Glen Sannox is formally handed over to CMAL, with it due to enter service in January 2025.

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