Turkey building four new CalMac ferries 'on time'

Four new ferries being built in Turkey for Scottish west coast routes are on course to be finished on time and on budget, ferry owner CMAL has said.

All of the ships are due to be delivered to Scotland by 2025.

Milestones were reached on Wednesday with the keel-laying of the second of two Islay ferries and steel-cutting of the first of two for the Little Minch.

The work comes against a backdrop of frustration among island communities at the state of west coast services.

There has also been controversy over the procurement process, delays and costs of two Clyde-built ferries.

The boats - Glen Sannox and another currently known as Hull 802 - are being constructed by Ferguson Marine.

Earlier this month, the Scottish government said it would continue funding the construction of Hull 802 despite it being cheaper to scrap the project and build a new boat elsewhere.

CMAL, the Scottish government's ferries agency, said island communities should have confidence the four ferries being built at the Cemre shipyard in Turkey would be delivered as planned.

One of the two boats being constructed in Turkey for use on Islay routes is expected to be completed next year, while Wednesday saw the keel-laying of the islands' second vessel.

Both ships will have capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars, or 14 commercial vehicles.

The steel-cutting of the first of two ferries which will operate on a CalMac's service across the Little Minch between Skye, Uist and Harris also took place the same day.

CMAL chief executive Kevin Hobbs said building the four vessels to the same design had proved hugely important to the project.

He said: "What has gone before has been single ships to a single design and that was driven by the fact we have never been afforded the money to do anything more than that."

Mr Hobbs said a five-year £700m plan from the Scottish government had allowed for the standardisation of its new major vessels, and plan for the replacement of other ferries.

He said having the same design made it easier to move crews between the boats, and also lower maintenance costs because each vessel did not need different types of spares.

By BBC Scotland reporter Iain Macinnes in Turkey

The sparks flew as Western Isles councillor Uisdean Robertson pressed the button to begin the steel cutting process for the first of two boats which will eventually service the area he represents.

He turned, smiled, and gave me a thumbs up.

While some folk may be sick of hearing about ferries, we as islanders know the impact of repeated cancelled sailings.

But even in this Turkish shipyard on the outskirts of Istanbul, there is an understanding of how important it is that these boats are delivered on time and on budget.

Scotland may be far away, but it is clear that anger there has grown in recent times as breakdowns and a lack of resilience have caused headaches.

The workers here are busily piecing together pieces of steel which will in time become these all-important links to our island communities, and for many they can't come quick enough.

Four boats will come from this shipyard but more will be required.

Where they'll be built, and how long that will take, remains to be seen.

CMAL currently owns 12 major vessels, six of which are due to be replaced by the four ferries being built in Turkey and the two being constructed on the Clyde.

Mr Hobbs said it he recognised there was frustration over delays to the delivery of the two Ferguson boats.

He said: "We want to make sure every vessel we contract to have built is deliver on time and on price.

"Of course you place a huge amount of faith on a shipyard to deliver what they've promised and this shipyard (Cemre) is doing that, but we've had other examples where that hasn't happened, which is a huge shame.

He added: "Fergusons are progressing very, very well now and there was obviously commitment from the Scottish government last week."

The CMAL chief said future work would continue to go through an open tender process with contracts awarded to yards that could offer a fixed price and deliver on time.

Western Isles Council - Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - has been among those critical of progress in upgrading the west coast network's aging ferry fleet.

Transport committee chairman Uisdean Robertson said while there was a need to protect jobs at Fergusons, little public attention had been given to jobs lost in the islands due to disruption to ferry services caused by breakdowns and delays to CalMac's maintenance programme.

Mr Robertson, who was in Turkey for the steel-cutting ceremony, said he felt positive about the two ferries for the Little Minch.

He said: "Vessels built on time will make a big difference to us."