Why did ScotGov support award of ferry contracts to firms abroad
MV Isle of Islay is expected to be taking passengers in Scotland nine months before MV Glen Rosa that is still being completed by state-owned shipyard firm Ferguson Marine.
It has been confirmed successful sea trials means that MV Isle of Islay - one of the first of the four ferries being built in Turkey in the wake of Scotland's ferry fiasco - is on target to be delivered sometime between next month and September.
Meanwhile concerns have emerged that vital funding needed to have one key contract to build seven smaller ferries directly awarded to state-owned Ferguson Marine was not considered justified by ministers.
Why did CMAL award ferry contracts to shipyards in Turkey and Poland?
The Scottish Government -owned ferry and port owner CMAL awarded contracts to build ferries to Cemre Shipyard in Turkey and Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland based on competitive procurement processes. These shipyards demonstrated the capability to deliver vessels that met technical specifications, timelines, and budgetary constraints.
The Cemre yard and (inset) one of the vessels it is delivering for Scotland (Image: .) Remontowa was awarded a £175 million contract to build seven all-electric ferries, having received the highest score during the bidding process .
The Turkish shipyard Cemre Marin Endustri was contracted to construct four new roll-on/roll-off passenger and vehicle ferries for Scotland's west coast ferry network. These vessels are intended to enhance services on routes to the Isle of Islay and the Little Minch corridor, which includes Skye, Harris, and North Uist. The deals together were worth £220m.
Why was Ferguson Marine, the Scots state-owned shipyard firm not awarded these contracts?
The Inverclyde firm had faced several challenges that affected its competitiveness in the bidding process.
Firstly a lack of experience. The shipyard had not completed any ferries in the past five years, failing to meet the tender's requirement to show recent experience in building at least three similar ferries.
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It had financial and operational issues. Ferguson Marine's previous projects, such as the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, were significantly delayed and over budget, raising concerns about the yard's financial stability and project management capabilities.
CMAL's procurement process emphasized technical and financial suitability. Ferguson Marine is understood to have not scored as highly as other bidders in these areas.
What were the issues with the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa projects?
The issues with Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa has become known as Scotland's ferry fiasco.
Glen Rosa and Glen Sannox's arrival to serve islands was scheduled to be online in the first half of 2018. Glen Sannox finally went into service on January but islanders are still awaiting the arrival of Glen Rosa.
Glen Sannox (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA) Both vessels were significantly behind schedule and over budget. Glen Rosa's delivery has been delayed until spring 2026, with costs soaring.
Costs of the entire project are currently expected to have multiplied at least five-fold from the original £96m price.
The delays were down to design and construction flaws. Problems included inadequate planning, quality issues, and a lack of detailed construction plans with CMAL and Ferguson Marine blaming each other for failings.
The contract also lacked adequate financial safeguards, such as a builder's refund guarantee, which would have protected public funds in case of project failures.
What are the implications of awarding contracts to overseas shipyards?
Awarding contracts to overseas shipyards has both advantages and disadvantages.
Overseas shipyards like Cemre and Remontowa, it is felt, have demonstrated the ability to deliver vessels on time and within budget.
These shipyards have experience building similar vessels, ensuring adherence to technical specifications.
But the disadvantages are the economic impact on Scotland.
Excluding domestic shipyards like Ferguson Marine can have negative effects on local employment and the Scottish shipbuilding industry.
Ferguson Marine has previously indicated that losing ferry contracts had an effect on its ability to continue as a going concern.
Ferguson Marine (Image: Colin Mearns) The decisions on the contracts have sparked political criticism and debates over the government's commitment to supporting domestic industries.
What lessons have been learned from these experiences?
While the decision to award ferry contracts to overseas shipyards was based on factors like cost, efficiency, and technical capability, it has raised important questions about the future of domestic shipbuilding in Scotland and the need for improved procurement practices.
The challenges faced in ferry procurement have highlighted the need for robust procurement processes and that contracts should include builder's refund guarantees to protect public funds.
It has also shown the requirement to balance the need for cost-effective procurement with the importance of supporting local industries.
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- The National
Should a supercomputer be a top priority amid a housing crisis?
At a very rough and admittedly simplistic calculation – and assuming you could build a decent flat for, say, £100,000 – the almost £1 billion price tag for the supercomputer could have been used to build around 10,000 homes. Politics is all about priorities and supercomputers seem these days to come before homes for our nation's homeless weans. More than 10,000 of them languish in so-call temporary accommodation today and will continue to do so every day for the foreseeable future. READ MORE: 5 things Scots should know from Rachel Reeves' spending review After the announcement I watched a TV interview with a suitably enthusiastic academic from the university who singularly failed to explain the actual (not theoretical) benefits of the supercomputer. In the meantime, Peter Mathieson, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, took to the press to say the supercomputer investment will have a 'transformative impact on the UK'. He went on to say 'This significant investment will have a profoundly positive impact on the UK's global standing'. Is this whole project primarily about 'the UK's global academic standing'? I am reminded of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a comedy science-fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. The number 42 is especially significant to its many fans because that number is the answer given by a supercomputer called Deep Thought which takes 7.5 million years to finally answer the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. Perhaps The National could devote some column inches to an article from the university to inform us of the real – not theoretical – benefits of this massively expensive project and explain why it is at the top of the political agenda. Will it be obsolete before it is even switched on? READ MORE: Scottish Government 'short-changed by £1bn by Rachel Reeves' I am sure the academics of Edinburgh University will enjoy their new toy when it eventually does come online. The homeless of weans of Scotland less so. In sharp contrast, on March 28 2021 the then education secretary John Swinney said: 'If we are re-elected in May, the SNP will roll out a new programme to deliver into the hands of every school child in Scotland a laptop, Chromebook or tablet to use in school and at home. It will come with a free internet connection and full technical support. It will be updated when necessary, replaced when needed and upgraded as technology improves. As a child moves through their school life, it will change with them, going from the simpler devices needed at P1 to the more advanced in the senior phase of secondary'. That pledge has since fallen by the political wayside. So it's a supercomputer for academics but no laptops for our school children. Sandra West Dundee TRUMP'S false charge of race discrimination by the South African government against white farmers and offering them refuge in the US is an act of hostility against South Africa. Since South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice charging it with genocide, the US has ramped up its actions against South Africa. Trump's presidential order 'Addressing the Egregious Actions of South Africa' promoted the re-settlement of Afrikaners in the US and stated that South Africa had taken aggressive positions towards the United States including 'accusing Israel of genocide'. READ MORE: David Pratt: Donald Trump is reshaping democracy for authoritarians It added, 'The United States cannot support the government of South Africa in its undermining United States foreign policy which poses national security threats to our nation … and our interests.' It concluded that 'the United States shall not provide aid or assistance to South Africa.' It could not be made clearer that if you disagree with US support for Israel's actions then you will be punished. In South Africa's colonial and apartheid past, land distribution was grossly unequal on the basis of race. This remains the case. Whites own 70% of the land while being only 7% of the population. South Africa in addressing this issue passed the Land Expropriation Act. Land can be expropriated without compensation only in strictly defined circumstances. READ MORE: Donald Trump ambushes South African president with false 'white genocide' claims The United States intervention, making false claims about the act and what is happening to white farmers, whilst offering fast-tracked refuge to Afrikaners, is a disruptive interference in the affairs of a sovereign country. The US actions seem designed to destabilise South Africa and stop its support for the Palestinians. South Africa should be applauded for its humanitarian stance in support of the Palestinians and should also be assisted in its journey to overcome 300 years of colonialism and apartheid. Brian Filling Chair, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) Scotland (successor organisation of the Anti-Apartheid Movement)
