Ferguson shipyard misses out on Clyde ferries contract

A contract to build two new small ferries for the River Clyde has gone to a shipyard in Merseyside

Privately-owned Western Ferries announced that Cammell Laird, based at Birkenhead, was preferred bidder to build the vessels for its Gourock to Dunoon Route.

The nationalised Ferguson Marine shipyard, which had hoped to win the contract, described the news as "disappointing".

The Port Glasgow based firm has no new orders beyond the CalMac ferry Glen Rosa, but is pursuing contracting work on the Type 26 frigates currently being built by BAE Systems in Glasgow.

Western Ferries currently operates four small ferries, two of them built by Ferguson's in 2001 and 2003 when the yard was privately owned by the Dunnet family.

The other two ferries, Sound of Seil and Sound of Soay, were previously built by Cammell Laird in 2013.

Western Ferries last year carried 1.2 million passengers and 600,000 cars on the Gourock to Dunoon route and employs about 60 people.

David Dishon, chief financial officer at Ferguson Marine, said: "Having submitted a high-quality bid, this news is disappointing.

"However, Ferguson Marine remains focused on securing new work from a range of sources to build its pipeline."

Mr Dishon said private investment for new ferries was "vitally important" to the economy and congratulated Cammell Laird on being selected as the preferred bidder.

He added: "We wish both companies every success and hope to continue our long-standing working relationship with Western Ferries in the future."

Ferguson's employs about 300 workers and apprentices in an area of high deprivation and has built six out of the 10 largest ships currently in CalMac's fleet.

But the firm has struggled with construction of MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, the first dual-fuel ferries built in the UK capable of running on liquefied natural gas.

Design challenges, disputes over rising costs and an acrimonious stand-off with the customer CMAL saw the firm return to administration in 2019 when it was nationalised, with problems continuing under public ownership.

The Glen Sannox - which started carrying passengers in January - has been praised by ferry users on the Arran route.

But the ship was unexpectedly taken out of service in March after a hairline crack in a weld on its hull led to a small leak.

The fault was quickly repaired and the ship resumed sailings two days later.

The second ship MV Glen Rosa is in the final stages of construction but the yard's previous interim CEO has said there is a risk of further delay.