Ferguson Marine given four new ship contracts
Clyde company Ferguson Marine has been given four new shipbuilding contracts from the Scottish Government.
The contracts include two CalMac ferries, a marine research vessel replacement and a marine protection vessel replacement.
The publicly owned yard will be building two of CalMac’s new small vessels to serve the Sound of Harris and Sound of Barra as part of phase two of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.
This is despite the shipyard’s tumultuous time building the new CalMac vessels MV Glen Sannox, delivered a year ago over six years late, and the MV Glen Rosa, which is still to be delivered.
A total cost around £400 million, the two vessels were four times over budget.
But the Scottish Government says the award of the contract shows confidence in and support for local workers. It is also hoped the contracts will help Ferguson Marine secure more work in the long run to keep the yard afloat.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said another contract, to replace the CalMac ferry MV Lord of the Isles, would not be directly awarded, but would go to a competitive tendering process.
The Scotia marine research vessel, and the Minna marine protection vessel will also be replaced at the yard. All four projects are of a much smaller scale than either of the MV Glen Rosa or Glen Sannox.
Deputy First Minister Forbes told Holyrood that the award of the four contracts would help unlock up to £14.2m of promised funding to modernise the Port Glasgow shipyard.
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Forbes said: "These substantial proposals we are announcing today would deliver for Ferguson Marine, for island communities and for Inverclyde.
"We are strengthening ferry resilience and connectivity for communities that rely on dependable services.
"At the same time, our plans for new vessel awards would support skilled employment and industrial capability in Inverclyde, where Ferguson Marine remains an essential part of the local economy and a shipyard of national industrial importance."
Most in parliament welcomed the announcement, including the SNP, Conservatives and Labour.
But the Conservatives raised concerns about Ferguson’s recent record, worrying about the possibility of the vessels arriving late and over budget. Labour suggested the contract award was purely due to upcoming Scottish Government elections.
Ferguson Marine Chief executive Graeme Thomson said he has "utmost confidence" that his team have the skills to pull off the job.
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