Glen Sannox ferry entering service is a big moment for Arran but repairing reputational damage will take time

This is a big moment for Arran, there is no doubt about that.

The first new ferry for the CalMac fleet in a decade going into service between Troon and Brodick marks a significant milestone that has been a long time coming.

Islanders have had to endure years of being at the centre of a controversy that has seen their replacement vessels delayed time after time, and the costs to the public purse increase fourfold.

“Challenging” is one of the more polite words you hear a lot when speaking to people on Arran about how life has been over the past few years.

The negative publicity has taken its toll on tourism, the biggest driver of the island’s economy, with almost every business relying on visitors in some shape or form.

The fear of cancellations has put many off travelling.

Now the Glen Sannox is in service, the focus can switch to convincing them to return.

The new vessel promises a greater level of resilience, meaning it should be able to sail in worse weather conditions.

It also offers CalMac more flexibility when things go wrong in the network, since they now have a spare vessel to deploy rather than moving one off another route.

That flexibility should expand later this year when its sister ship the Glen Rosa, currently under construction at the Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow, is scheduled to join the fleet on the Arran route.

But few are under any illusion the arrival of this new ferry will resolve the issues faced on the island overnight.

Repairing the reputational damage built up over several years will take time.

There is also frustration that the new vessel will have to sail from Troon rather than Ardrossan, where there has been no progress in plans to renovate the port to accommodate the larger ship.

The Glen Sannox may be the second biggest vessel in the CalMac fleet, but size isn’t everything according to islanders.

They would rather have a more frequent service from a smaller vessel that could make the shorter crossing to Ardrossan, which has far better connectivity for foot passengers.

But after all the controversy around this vessel, after all the political wrangling and media attention, perhaps it was fitting that it entered service quietly and without fuss on Sunday afternoon.