Ferguson Marine ferries fiasco: Shipyard board moved to sack chief executive David Tydeman a month ago – Wellbeing Economy Secretary Mairi McAllan

Scottish Conservatives condemn “brutal” sacking as “disgraceful”.

The board of the embattled Ferguson Marine shipyard at the centre of the CalMac ferry fiasco moved towards firing widely-respected chief executive David Tydeman a month ago, MSPs were told on Wednesday.

Wellbeing Economy Secretary Mairi McAllan said she was told in February it was considering taking action over Mr Tydeman’s performance and was informed nine days ago that it planned to dismiss him this week.

The minister insisted the decision had been made by the Scottish Government-owned yard, not her.

David Tydeman at Ferguson Marine's offices in Port Glasgow in 2023. (Photo by John Devlin/The Scotsman)

Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Graham Simpson said Mr Tydeman had been “brutally sacked”, which was “disgraceful”.

He said: “This was the man with the impossible job of turning things around where the previous turnaround director had failed.”

Greenock and Inverclyde SNP MSP Stuart McMillan was the only MSP who spoke up to back the decision, saying it was “time for a fresh set of eyes”.

But Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie said: “When will someone in this Government carry the can for this ferry disaster?”

David Tydeman beside Glen Sannox in May 2023 when he said: "We're in really good shape.". (Photo by John Devlin/The Scotsman)

Ms McAllan repeatedly declined to provide details about the Port Glasgow yard board’s concerns about Mr Tydeman’s performance but stressed the importance she placed “on delivery” – a reference to the two ferries still to be completed despite being six years late and four times over their £97 million budget.

She said: "This was a decision for the board and not for ministers.

"I was made aware on February 28 that the board were considering taking action to address performance-related issues in relation to Mr Tydeman tenure and I was informed on March 18 that they intended the contract termination to take place in the week commencing March 25.”

Ms McAllan said she was told by the board on Monday “of the expectation there could be further risks” over more delays, but she expected it to minimise these.

Glen Sannox is due to be completed by June, followed by two months of trials by CalMac before being deployed on its main Arran route to Brodick. Sister vessel Glen Rosa is due to be finished by September next year.

Earlier, Mr Tydeman was defended by former yard owner Jim McColl, who told BBC Radio Scotland: "I think it's appalling that he was dismissed. David had no chance at all.

"David Tydeman is not the problem and the fantastic workforce is not the problem."

Mr McColl, who ran the yard when it won the ferries contract in 2015 before it collapsed into administration and was taken over by the Scottish Government four years later, has been heavily criticised by Mr Tydeman for being responsible for many of the delays and cost overruns.

However, Mr McColl said "very, very little" was his fault, and he again blamed Scottish Government ferry-buying firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited’s (Cmal) handling of the contract.

He said: "The faults in this contract go way back to fundamental shortcomings in the specification.

"It's the design of the ferries and the incompetence of Cmal.”

But a Cmal spokesperson said: “We have responded to these false claims on a number of occasions.

"Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited [the yard’s name under Mr McColl’s ownership] had an opportunity to test their claims in court but chose not to pursue this remedy given that they had no substance.”