THE troubled MV Glen Sannox has moved a step closer to being handed over to her owners after setting out on sea trials on Friday.

The ship left her Inchgreen berth for the latest phase of testing a week after the loading of its LNG fuel was completed.

The fuel was loaded on board the vessel following four-and-a-half days of cooling the LNG tank to the required temperature of minus 146 degrees using liquefied nitrogen.

The vessel is due to be handed over by Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow to Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) on Monday, September 30, though further trials will be needed before she is ready to enter service for CalMac Ferries Ltd.

This November will mark seven years since the hull of the ship, which is expected to have a final price tag of between £145.5 million and £149.1 million, was launched from the Ferguson yard.

Both the Glen Sannox and her sister ship, MV Glen Rosa, which was launched in April but remains under construction at Ferguson Marine, are destined to operate on CalMac's main route to Arran, though the two ships will have to use Troon as their mainland port until essential upgrade work is carried out at Ardrossan.

The combined price tag for the two ships was originally £97m.

Greenock Telegraph Camera Club member Stephen Lipton captured a stunning image of the ship on sea trials off Gourock on Friday morning.