Ferguson Marine ferries: Potential further two month delay as Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray describes project uncertainty as ‘extremely concerning’

Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa face possible new hold up over dual-fuel propulsion system

A potential further two-month delay to the two massively late CalMac ferries was signalled by builders Ferguson Marine as senior minister Neil Gray expressed his “extreme concern” at the shipyard also announcing the vessels’ budget and delivery dates would be reviewed again next month.

The latest delay would push back completion of Glen Sannox beyond its revised date of March, and could affect sister vessel Glen Rosa’s completion date of May 2025.

However, the Scottish Government-owned Port Glasgow yard has previously admitted both those dates could be put back by six to seven months after further construction problems were found, which it blamed on two previous managements.

Glen Sannox, left, and Glen Rosa under construction at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow in November. (Photo by John Devlin/The Scotsman)

The Scottish Conservatives said the “shocking revelations” made it highly likely the ferries would be further delayed and cost even more. Scottish Labour said the prospect of further delays “beggars belief”.

The ferries, which will be CalMac’s joint second largest with space for 852 passengers, are due to be deployed on the main Arran route to Brodick, and should have been finished in 2018. They are already expected to cost a total of £337 million, more than three times the original £97m contract price in 2015.

Glen Sannox is not expected to be in service until the summer at the earliest as it will also require about two months of sea trials by CalMac.

Yard chief executive David Tydeman said in a letter to MSPs: “Overall, the dates and budgets set out in my update to you in September will be subject to review by the Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow (FMPG) board on January 25.”

Glen Rosa is due to be launched in March. (Photo by John Devlin/The Scotsman)

Writing to the Scottish Parliament’s net zero, energy and transport committee, he said: "In response to your request for interim updates as issues arise, I advise that there are some supplier issues around the commissioning of the liquefied natural gas systems, which could, if they cannot be mitigated, cause up to two months’ delay.

"We are urgently exploring mitigating actions and will update by the end of January following consideration by the board at its January meeting.”

Mr Gray, the wellbeing economy secretary, described confirmation of the board review as “extremely concerning”.

Writing to the committee, Mr Gray said: “At a recent meeting with the chief executive, I impressed upon him the significant challenges facing the Scottish Government in terms of spending. In addition, I reiterated that he should exercise every possible mitigation over potential overspend.

Glen Sannox's move to dry dock in Greenock was postponed this week because of strong winds. (Photo by John Devlin/The Scotsman)

"I also note with deep disappointment that the chief executive has also signalled a risk of further delay and I have continued to impress upon the chief executive that any further slippage in the programme would have a considerable impact on the island communities.

“I also met with the chair of FMPG [Andrew Miller] and have impressed on him the need to ensure that every possible mitigation to further delays is in place.

"I reaffirm my commitment that to support FMPG to deliver these lifeline ferries to service our island communities as quickly as possible remains one of my key priorities.”

Ferries Scotland: Inside Glen Sannox as hugely-delayed CalMac ferry at Ferguson Marine

Mr Tydeman said he also regretted that Glen Sannox’s planned move to dry dock this week, sailing under its own steam for the first time, had been postponed by strong winds. It will now be put off until after the ferry undergoes sea trials between January and March.

Mr Tydeman said: “For Glen Sannox, the key priority over the past quarter has been completion of works necessary for the dry docking to take place, and I regret to advise that bad weather has prevented the ship moving to the dock this week.

"The ship was ready as planned to move under her own propulsion – with tugs in attendance, one with lines attached – and it’s disappointing that we missed this significant milestone to demonstrate the good progress with the programme.

"Due to advance bookings for the dry dock for other vessels, we will now have to take our turn, proceed with the trials programme in January to March, and have booked the earliest available dry dock dates of April 3-7.”

However, he said Glen Rosa was still on schedule to be launched on March 12, then moved to the yard quayside where Glen Sannox is moored.

Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Graham Simpson said: “These are shocking revelations from Neil Gray and David Tydeman. It looks highly likely that the cost of building the Glen Sannox could rise again and there could be yet another delay.

“It goes from bad to worse and all the while islanders are the ones who are suffering. Every time we are given a completion date, it slips.

"At some point, Neil Gray is going to have to say how much more money he is prepared to put into the yard. So far it has been a blank cheque.

“It is going to an unhappy New Year for our island communities as they await the most expensive ferry in Scottish history.”

Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Alex Rowley said “It beggars belief that even more delays seem to be on the horizon for these long-awaited ferries.

“The Cabinet secretary’s sympathetic words will ring hollow with the islanders and shipyard workers dealing with years of ferry chaos on the SNP’s watch.

“The Scottish Government must set out a real plan to deliver these ferries without any more delays or cost increases, so island communities can get the service they deserve and Scotland’s shipbuilding industry can thrive.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP said: “The only thing that is predicable with this SNP-owned shipyard is the delays.

“The islanders, taxpayers and shipyard workers deserve better than a minister who only expresses concern and acts as if these delays are nothing to do with him and his government."

The Scotsman had revealed last month that Ferguson Marine’s future as an internationally competitive shipyard remained in significant doubt after the Scottish Government said it had turned down an initial request for around £25 million of funding to invest in the yard.

The refusal to provide the money to the ailing yard, which was described as having “significant risks and uncertainty” around its future solvency, has thrown into doubt the hope it will ever become competitive again.

Mr Tydeman had previously outlined a request for a new plating line, burning tables and better computer software to help the yard improve.

However, Mr Gray said the business case outlined by the yard had failed subsidy control rules and could not be backed by the Government.

Ministers plan to sell the yard back into the private sector at some point. However, they have been told in a commercial report that it needed to become three times more productive to be viable.