CalMac ferries contract extended as Ferguson Marine denies boss travelling from Canada to Scotland

The contract for Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac to run services on Scotland’s west coast has been extended by a year.

The move comes as the Scottish Government continues to consider a direct award to CalMac for the next deal on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS) network, which is the preferred path, rather than accepting bids from rival firms.

The contract was due to expire on September 30, but the extra year will allow further work on the potential direct award to be undertaken.

CalMac has had its west coast ferries contract extended by another year. Picture: John Devlin

Transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “While good progress has been made on the due diligence related to a proposed direct award to CalMac, it will not be possible to conclude all of the processes by the 30th September, which is the end date of the current contract.

“We have made arrangements to extend the existing contract for 12 months. This will allow the due diligence process to robustly conclude and, subject to the outcome of that process, a final decision to be made on a direct contract award.

“I will provide a further update to Parliament later this year on progress and on timings for decision-making within the extended period.”

Duncan Mackison, the interim chief executive of CalMac, welcomed the news, saying: “CalMac is full of dedicated people who are passionate about delivering a reliable service for island communities.

“With six new major vessels due to join the fleet by 2026 and significant infrastructure upgrades at numerous ports and harbours under way or planned, we are confident that lifeline ferry services will continue to improve.

“During the extension period, we will be working hard to provide certainty and reliability, and listening closely to the views of local people who rely on our services most.”

The decision to extend the contract comes as Ferguson Marine denied its new chief executive was being paid to travel between Canada and Scotland.

John Petticrew took over as interim chief executive in March after his predecessor David Tydeman was sacked by the state-owned shipyard’s board.

Mr Petticrew is overseeing the remaining work on the Glen Sannox and its sister ship Glen Rosa, which are intended to serve CalMac’s west coast routes.

At the time of his appointment, minister Mairi McAllan said Mr Petticrew would be relocating from Canada to work at the Port Glasgow shipyard. However, the Scottish Government’s strategic commercial assets division deputy director Dermot Rhatigan told Holyrood’s public audit committee that Mr Petticrew had not in fact moved to Scotland and was entitled to claim for travel and subsistence.

Part of that claim was later denied by a Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) spokesperson, who said: “Mr Petticrew is living in Scotland, has not travelled to Canada since he took up the interim CEO role and has no plans to do so. His priority is completing and handing over both vessels as quickly as possible.”

The statement corroborates what Mr Petticrew told the Scotsman at the launch of Glen Rosa in April, two weeks after being appointed interim chief executive, when he said: "I've left Canada where I reside. I've left my family there.”

Government officials had separately told the committee a decision on further investment in Ferguson Marine would be made “shortly”.