Timeline: Ferguson Marine ferries saga unfolds

Key dates from a timeline in the Audit Scotland report into the Ferguson Marine ferries saga.

August 2015: Scottish ministers announce Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) as the preferred bidder for the contract to design and build two new CalMac ferries at a combined fixed price of £97 million.

September 2015: FMEL says it is unable to provide a full builders refund guarantee, a mandatory requirement of the contract.

February 2017: Transport Scotland informs Scottish ministers of delays.

Glen Sannox should have been finished four years ago. Picture: John Devlin

September 2017: Scottish Government provides FMEL with a £15m loan to aid its cash flow.

June 2018: Scottish Government provides FMEL with a £30m loan to aid its cash flow.

February 2019: Scottish Government and Transport Scotland initiate Project Kildonan to formally consider contingency plans for the vessels and the shipyard.

May 2019: Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMal), the Scottish Government’s ferry-owning firm, advises ministers of its intention to cancel the contract for Glen Sannox on the grounds of late delivery.

August 2019: Scottish Government appoints Tim Hair as turnaround director to help stabilise the shipyard and put a programme in place to complete the vessels. FMEL enters administration.

December 2019: Scottish Government completes a commercial transaction to bring the shipyard into public ownership and creates a new organisation, Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow (FMPG), to complete the vessels.

Mr Hair provides an update on costs and timescales for the Scottish Government.

The estimated delivery dates are October to December 2021 for Glen Sannox, and July to October 2022 for vessel 802.

The estimated cost to complete both vessels is £110.3m-114.3m.

August 2020: Mr Hair updates delivery timescales to account for Covid disruption: April to June 2022 for Glen Sannox and December 2022 to February 2023 for vessel 802. There is no change to the cost.

June 2021: Mr Hair updates delivery timescales to account for further Covid disruptions and labour shortages: July to September 2022 for Glen Sannox and April to July 2023 for vessel 802. No change to the cost.

February 2022: Mr Hair advises the Scottish Parliament of further vessel delays due to a serious cable problem on Glen Sannox.

March 2022: FMPG expects to provide the Scottish Parliament with an update on vessel timescales and any impact on costs.

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