BOSSES at Ferguson's say that it will be THREE YEARS before MV Glen Sannox and her sister ship are both completed - as another tender for £6m worth of work is issued.

The dual fuel ferries for CalMac were supposed to have been finished years ago but the £97m project ran into major trouble and has since more than doubled in price.

It led to a major dispute between Ferguson and CMAL, the state-owned ferry firm that procured the ships, which ended with the yard plunging into administration and being nationalised.

Earlier this week - almost three years after she was launched - Glen Sannox was towed to the Dales Marine yard in Greenock for £400,000-worth of remedial work - including the replacement of her bulbous bow.

Now a further £6m is to be added to the ever-expanding price tag for the vessels, as contractors are invited to bid for electrical cabling work.

The updated three year timescale is set out in the official tender documents.

Earlier this year bosses at the yard had said they were targeting the end of next year to finish Glen Sannox, but the Covid-19 shutdown has led to further delays.

They also hoped to have the second vessel finished by October 2022 but this timeline has also slipped.

The £6m electrical tender documents state: 'This contract is for the supply and installation of electrical cables on ships 801 and 802.

'The contract will run until the vessels have been handed over to our client.'

It's estimated it will take 36 months for the vessels to be handed over but it could take even longer.

The document says: 'The 36 month duration is an estimate only. The contract will cease on signed-off completion of the services.'

The successful bidder will also conduct an audit of work carried out and will be awarded to a single supplier.

MV Glen Sannox is scheduled to return to Ferguson's at the end of this month.