Ferguson Marine's failure to give update on hugely-delayed ferry 'frustrating and disappointing'

MSPs have called on the Scottish Government-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard to say when a hugely-late CalMac ferry will be completed after describing its three-month wait for an update as “frustrating and disappointing”.

The convener of the Scottish Parliament’s net zero, energy and transport committee has set a new deadline of May 13 for a response or it will call yard chiefs to explain themselves at Holyrood a week later.

Glen Rosa being launched at the Ferguson Marine yard on Tuesday. (Photo by John Devlin/The Scotsman) | John Devlin/The Scotsman

Glen Rosa was due to have been completed in July 2018 and is now scheduled to be finished in September, but it has been claimed that could be put back a further six months to March next year.

The ferry was launched at the Port Glasgow in April last year, where it remains moored.

Yard chiefs had told the committee it would provide an update, including the forecast final cost of the ferry, which is four times over budget, by the end of January.

The vessel is due to operate the route from Troon to Arran’s main town of Brodick alongside sister vessel Glen Sannox, which was completed in November and entered service in January.

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In a letter to the yard, committee convener Edward Mountain said its quarterly update on March 31 “contained no substantive detail on the timeline and updated costs for Glen Rosa despite a clear earlier undertaking to provide this information, and indeed to do so, if possible, by the end of January.

“Given the public interest for island communities and the very substantial taxpayer investment in the yard to deliver this vessel, the committee found this omission frustrating and disappointing.”

Mr Mountain called on the yard to “set out clearly” the delivery timescale and expected handover date, along with the latest forecast completion cost.

“Should the information not be provided by May 13, the committee invites [the yard] to give evidence on them on May 20.”

Mr Mountain told The Scotsman on Thursday: “It is frustrating to have to ask Ferguson Marine more than once for information about an important public service paid for with public money.

“The island communities this ferry is intended for want to know what’s happening.

“The committee is looking forward to a clear reply from Fergusons about timelines and cost.”

David Dishon, the yard’s chief financial officer and its accountable officer, said, “We’ve received the most recent correspondence from the committee and fully recognise the importance of keeping it informed.

“We’re committed to providing a response in due course.”

The response came as new yard chief executive Graeme Thomson took up his post on Thursday, succeeding John Petticrew, who had stood in temporarily following the shock ousting of David Tydeman in March last year.

Mr Thomson had been a programme director for defence firm Babcock since 2019, overseeing the Royal Navy’s type 31 frigate order.

Ferguson Marine said he had more than 20 years’ experience in the shipbuilding, construction and energy sectors, and had “demonstrable skill in leading the delivery of complex and high value programmes, major operational improvements and workforce expansion projects”.