Ferguson Marine 'fears new threat to shipyard' as search intensifies for new ferry orders
Holyrood committee convener hears of worries that could also further delay Glen Rosa ferry completion
The Scottish Government-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard fears an exodus of workers within months if it fails to win new orders, the convener of the Holyrood committee that scrutinises the yard has said.
Conservative MSP Edward Mountain heard of the management concerns during a visit to the Port Glasgow yard on Friday, which he was told could jeopardise the completion of the already hugely-delayed Glen Rosa ferry for CalMac, which is due by next June.
He said he thought that might be part of attempts to persuade ministers to directly award the yard a contract to build the replacement for the ageing CalMac ferry Lord of the Isles, which it built 36 years ago.
The only other order the yard has secured is relatively small-scale work for the Royal Navy type 26 frigate programme from BAE Systems in Glasgow.
The yard failed to win the competition for seven small electric ferries for CalMac in March, which went to Poland. But Ferguson Marine is seen as having a better chance of securing the second part of the order, for three slightly larger electric vessels.
Mr Mountain, who heads the Scottish Parliament’s net zero, energy and transport committee, said he was told during the visit: “If, come Christmas, they don’t see any work beyond the horizon of the Glen Rosa, that the workforce will drift away to find other jobs, which means it might become more difficult to actually deliver the Glen Rosa on time.
“I would think that would be part of their way of putting pressure on the Scottish Government to directly award the ferries contract.
“The view we heard was that the management are concerned that workers will start leaving if they don’t see jobs beyond the Glen Rosa.
“What they’re saying is that in quarter one of next year [January to March], when the 300-odd employees start thinning out from working on Glen Rosa because she’ll be going on to final fitting and sea trials, there might be a chance that they’ll start disappearing, and they might disappear earlier.”
Louise Gilmour, Scotland secretary of the GMB, the yard’s main union, said: “Fergusons is a shipyard, not a fabrication yard or a supply yard, and without new contracts, there is a clear and obvious risk of it losing skilled and committed shipbuilders.
“Their skills are in demand, particularly with the recent orders announced at our naval yards, and Ferguson’s urgently needs contracts to keep its skills base intact and allow it to secure a new future.”
Yard chief executive Graeme Thomson said this week that refinements to its schedule to complete Glen Rosa “have strengthened our confidence in the delivery timeline and allowed for better alignment of resources with critical path activities.
“We remain fully committed to delivering Glen Rosa to the highest standards and continue to anticipate delivery in Q2 2026, and within previously advised outturn cost/risk allowances.”
The ferry was due to have been completed seven years ago and is expected to cost £185 million, which is almost four times the original estimate.
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