Ferguson Marine, Scotland’s nationalised shipyard, has lost a crucial contract for seven small electric ferries to Polish shipbuilder Remontowa. The £175 million contract was awarded by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), the procurement agency for CalMac ferries. Remontowa was chosen over Ferguson Marine, despite the latter’s strong reputation for quality, due to its more competitive pricing.
Kevin Hobbs, CEO of CMAL, explained the decision, stating: “We have a duty to adhere to the Public Procurement Strategy for Scotland and select a yard capable of delivering quality vessels that meet the needs of islanders while also providing the best value for public funds. We have confidence in Remontowa’s capabilities, having partnered with them before, including delivery of MV Finlaggan in 2011.”
David Dishon, Chief Financial Officer at Ferguson Marine, expressed disappointment but remained optimistic about the yard’s future. He noted: “Naturally we are disappointed that we were not selected as the preferred bidder for the small vessel replacement programme. Ferguson Marine is perfectly positioned for this type of work… We remain optimistic about the future of the yard and ongoing discussions with commercial partners continue to progress with promise.”
The decision has sparked significant backlash, with Scottish Conservative spokesperson Sue Webber warning that it could be “the death knell” for Ferguson Marine. She stated: “It should be a given that a nationalised shipyard wins a Scottish Government contract. Yet it’s a measure of how badly the SNP have mismanaged Ferguson’s that ferries which should be built on the west coast of Scotland are instead to be made in eastern Europe.”
Alex Logan, GMB convener at Ferguson Marine, also expressed disappointment, saying: “This contract should have enabled the yard to reclaim its reputation for excellence that has been unjustly stripped away. We previously had a global standing for constructing smaller vessels, and sending this work abroad is illogical.”
