BOSSES at Ferguson Marine today hailed the installation of the bulbous bow on the second unfinished CalMac ferry as a 'significant milestone' in the heavily-delayed project.

Hull 802's 35-tonne bow has been put in place in what has been described as a 'meticulously planned' engineering operation at the nationalised Port Glasgow shipyard.

It was lifted into place by a mobile crane to be welded to the bow structure.

The operation involved a six-strong team of engineers, welders and shipwrights working over three days, starting in the early hours of Monday.

The bulbous bow, positioned at the front end of the ship below the waterline, is described as a 'highly functional piece of precision engineering designed to facilitate less drag, consistent speed, and efficient fuel consumption'.

It has been constructed specifically for Hull 802 based on its operational requirements.

The bulbous bow for her sister vessel, MV Glen Sannox, was 'mis-manufactured' and had to be removed a year ago - three years after she was launched.

It was replaced at Dales Marine in Greenock.

Tim Hair, turnaround director at Ferguson Marine, believes the successful installation of the bow on Hull 802 is an important sign of progress on the troubled ferries project.

It is running four years behind schedule and is expected to cost more than double the original price of £97m.

Mr Hair said: "This is another significant step forward in the recovery of the shipyard, with visible progress in recent months on both vessels.

"The past year has been extremely challenging, working under the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"But we have gained momentum following the disruption and we are reaching important milestones.

“A lot of work is taking place at the shipyard and our teams have been working extremely hard."

Over recent weeks, three stern units have also been lifted into place on Hull 802 and when finished, these units will house the steering gear and other equipment and support the car deck and stern ramp.

Ferguson chiefs say extensive work has also been completed inside the hull of the vessel, including linking and welding units and pipework installation, as well as outfitting of major foundations for the engine room and generator room.

The next key phase of work involves building and installing the remaining parts of the bow section, which should be completed by the end of the year.

Earlier this year, structural work on MV Glen Sannox was completed following the installation of a reworked funnel and newly constructed mast, as well as completion of the structure around the stern and inside the hull.

Mr Hair, who has been under intense scrutiny for his huge pay package which has already topped £1.2m, said: "Significantly more work is being done on Hull 802 while it remains on the slipway, compared to MV Glen Sannox.

"This means that when it launches, it will weigh 1,300 tonnes more than MV Glen Sannox did at the point of launch, providing an indication of the volume of additional work onboard the second vessel.

“There remains a lot of work to do on both vessels, but construction is progressing well, and we are optimistic as we forge ahead.

"We have developed increased capability over the past 18 months with a highly experienced leadership team and a skilled and talented workforce, who are committed to completing the vessels and building a future for the shipyard.

“We continue to do everything possible to deliver the dual fuel ferry programme, improve productivity, secure new contracts for vessels, and protect local jobs.”