Ferguson Marine boss vows to mount 'aggressive' bid for ferries against 'unfair' foreign competition

The claim from interim chief executive John Petticrew came despite Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes justifying £14.2 million of new funding for the Scottish Government-owned yard during a visit on Thursday as designed to help it win such contests.

Mr Petticrew said of the seven small CalMac electric ferries: “We will aggressively bid for them and hopefully we’re in the ball park - 100 per cent we have the experience.”

He said he accepted ministers’ decision not to directly award the order to the yard, for which the GMB union had campaigned. Ms Forbes said it would have risked legal wrangles delaying the ferries’ construction.

Mr Petticrew said: “We are not asking to be given it now. We have to bid against unfair competition - because the countries we’re bidding against, we all know that their governments are putting money into those shipyards.”

Industry sources have told The Scotsman the yard is not expected to win the contest, which is part of a £175m programme for routes such as to Gigha and Iona.

However, it is seen as much more likely to be in the running for a further three larger electric ferries for routes such as Mallaig to Armadale in Skye.

Mr Petticrew had been scheduled to join Ms Forbes to answer questions from the media after her visit, but did not appear until it was asked why he was not there.

He said the yard was also seeking other work and that it must diversify further from building ferries.

Mr Petticrew said: “We have got to look long term rather than short term.

“We are looking at our overall business plan if we weren’t to get this contract. There is other work out there.

“We need to stop focusing on ferries. There are patrol ships out there, SOVs [service operation vessels for offshore wind farms] out there, there are oil companies who are willing to come here at a premium to bridge the gap between us and foreign competition.”

Ms Forbes said the yard was also optimistic of winning a deal with BAE Systems to provide the equivalent of “half a ship” for the type 26 frigate programme for the Royal Navy, having already completed small-scale steelwork orders for the warships.

A BAE Systems spokesperson, said: “We are in advanced negotiations with Ferguson Marine regarding further strengthening our partnership, the placement of additional work (subject to agreement of terms), and their continued involvement in the programme.”

Ms Forbes said other organisations needed new boats built, such as replacements for Highland Council’s ageing vessels operating the Corran ferry, south of Fort William.

The Deputy First Minister also said the yard had assured her the first of two hugely delayed large ferries, which will be CalMac’s second largest, would be competed by mid-August as now planned.

Glen Sannox is due to be delivered in the week of August 19 before CalMac trials ahead of being deployed on the main Arran route in October. Sister ship Glen Rosa is due to be finished in September next year.