Latest news with #CMAL
Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Times
Ferguson chief says shipyard needs ferry contract with no competition
The Ferguson shipyard faces a 'very difficult' future unless ministers hand it a ferry replacement contract, the chief executive has warned. Graeme Thomson said he had already lobbied for the Inverclyde yard to be given the mandate to build the successor to MV Lord of the Isles. That vessel normally sails from Lochboisdale on South Uist to the mainland at Mallaig. Fiona Hyslop, the transport secretary, said in April that money was available for a replacement to be built with CMAL, the procurement agency, looking at designs. The yard has been in public hands since 2019 after it ran out of cash building the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ferries. Holyrood ministers decided in March this year that they could not legally find a way to directly award Ferguson the work to build seven electric ferries for the small vessels replacement programme and that went to the Polish yard Remontowa. Thomson, who started at Ferguson in May, told the Scottish affairs committee at Westminster that the state-owned yard could not compete on price with overseas rivals. A direct award would mean Ferguson being given the contract without it having to go through procurement. Thomson said he had 'lobbied for a direct award' and believed the Scottish government was considering whether it was possible. He said: 'I'm not aware of what might be challenges or blockers to that.' Asked by MPs what the future might hold if the yard did not win that contract, he said: 'It would be very difficult for us and very challenging.' Thomson argued there was a need to give UK yards a better chance to win domestic work with about 150 non-navy vessels due to be built over the next 30 years. He said: 'As long as there is a situation that international yards can do it cheaper than us, whether because of labour rates or tax breaks, then we will never be playing on a level playing field. We need to move the conversation away from a race to the bottom on price.' Ferguson recently won a contract from BAE Systems to build structural steel blocks for HMS Birmingham as part of the Type 26 programme. Thomson is hopeful that the scope of work could be expanded in the future, while it is also looking into bids to build pilot boats and tugs. He said: 'If the portfolio starts with smaller boats, then we get back into larger boats, then I'm very content we would protect as much of the workforce as we can.' Thomson told MPs he was confident that Glen Rosa, which is already seven years late and vastly over budget, would be ready for handover in the second quarter of next year. Separately, Shona Robison, the finance secretary, said that the Scottish government continued to talk with bus operators and transport authorities to establish demand levels for double-decker buses as part of its efforts to find a future for Alexander Dennis. The bus builder is proposing to shut its Scottish manufacturing division, with 400 jobs at risk across Falkirk and Larbert.
The Herald Scotland
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
We are CMAL shareholders. We should be told the truth about Ardrossan
It might appear to some that Peel Ports is a property developer with no interest in operating Ardrossan as a port for Brodick. Where was Peel Ports when it could have repaired the Irish berth? Why is it not kicking and screaming at CMAL using Troon? Could it possibly suit Peel Ports for the ferry operation to move to Troon? And as Troon becomes the port for Brodick, the increased distance will require an increase in the Road Equivalent Tariff to satisfy the increased journey length and a third ferry, heaven forbid, will be required to supply the same level of service from Troon. The proposed 42-year-old MV Isle of Arran sailing from Ardrossan over the Glasgow Fair will allow more sailing capacity than the MV Glen Sannox sailing from Troon. Kevin Hobbs, the chief executive of CMAL, says: "We do not believe and have expressly stated that resilience at Ardrossan (given the entrance through the roundheads and turn) will never be as resilient as Troon given the open sea approach." He forgets that a smaller, highly-manoeuvrable ferry on Troon berthing trials became pinned against the harbour wall, requiring a tug to pull her off. As a professional seaman I can assure you that the entrance to Troon is a lot more exposed than Ardrossan. If you want evidence of this please look up service cancellations by the MV Glen Sannox which even the devil incarnate catamaran MV Alfred beats. Ardrossan is more than adequate when the correct vessels are used; four are coming from Turkey soon. Brian Wilson refers to the 95% redaction in his FoI reply citing the catch-all grounds that "the balance of public interest lies in withholding the information". The sole shareholders of CMAL are the Scottish Government ministers elected by us to represent them; that means it is ultimately the public who are the shareholders and we need to know. Peter Wright, West Kilbride. We are all in trouble Ferguson Marine is still in trouble despite £500m of public money having gone in. Now a committee of MSPs has cast doubt upon its future without further investment ('Ferguson Marine needs 'urgent investment', warns committee', The Herald, July 4). £14.2m extra has already been promised by the SNP, although it is unclear as to whether this money has been received. The MV Glen Rosa is the only work on the books and is due to be delivered around the time of the 2026 Holyrood election. This will focus attention upon the financial record of the SNP after 19 years of rule. Has it been good value for money or a bottomless pit for taxpayers who are constantly asked for "just a little bit" more? The broad shoulders are sagging very badly. It is not just Ferguson Marine that is in trouble, it is the entire country. Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow. Read more letters Dangerous definitions Murdo Grant (Letters, July 4) highlights how politicians cynically use the word 'terrorist' to condemn people with whom they disagree and to justify their own illegal acts of extreme violence. A classic example was provided by Margaret Thatcher, who in 1987 described South Africa's African National Congress as a 'typical terrorist organisation'. She was referring to the fact that the ANC had established an arms-length group called Umkhonto ke Sizwe, Spear of the Nation, MK for short; this followed the Sharpeville massacre of 1960. MK's task was to carry out a campaign of sabotage against the oppressive apartheid state that had inflicted so much violence on non-white South Africans. The campaign was directed at infrastructure, not people, though there was clearly a risk when explosives were being used that people could be injured or killed. The first head of MK was Nelson Mandela, who had reluctantly accepted that decades of struggle and sacrifice had failed to impact the white regime. As he said at his trial in Rivonia in 1963: 'It would be unrealistic and wrong for African leaders to continue preaching peace and non-violence at a time when the government met our demands with force.' Mrs Thatcher's Tories opposed sanctions against South Africa, to their eternal shame. Fast forward 20 years and Tory leader David Cameron apologised in person to Mr Mandela for 'mistakes my party made in the past'. As the saying goes: one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, and the label should be used with care. Which is why I'm alarmed by this week's vote at Westminster, by a majority of 359, to proscribe as a terrorist group Palestine Action, which vandalised two RAF transport aircraft at Brize Norton on June 20 ('MPs back move to ban action group', The Herald, July 3). The damage to the aircraft was minimal, though it has of course been inflated for political purposes. And you could argue that Palestine Action has done the country a favour by highlighting just how lamentable is security at our military establishments; I'm sure Mr Putin will have noticed. With the threshold for 'terrorism' now being so low, I guess I should expect a snatch squad to appear on my doorstep in dead of night if this letter is published. How very 1984, and from a Labour government. Doug Maughan, Dunblane. Drawbacks of foreign input I'm grateful to Jackie Kemp (Letters, July 4) for taking the time to read my letter of July 2. But I fear she has entirely missed the point. I mention neither 'Scottish independence' nor 'EU membership'. My point was apolitical and focused on the dangers of over-dependence on inward investment and outside decision-making. Our experience of the past shows that high dependence on inward investment can be like riding a powerful bucking bronco. The ride can be exhilarating, but only while it lasts. The end can be sudden and painful. Remember Silicon Glen? It was built up largely on the back of inward investment over three decades-plus, when Scotland was part of the EU. This involved leading corporates (many from the US) including IBM, Motorola, Hewlett Packard, DEC, Compaq, Sun Microsystems, National Semiconductor, Burr Brown, NEC, Sony and more. Where are they now? Sadly, 'no more' (cue the Proclaimers). Most were branch plants with no deep roots in Scottish soil. And most had left by the turn of the century when Scotland was still in the EU. When conditions change multinationals adapt. They restructure, downsize, or move away. And they do that 'irrespective of the national regulatory regime they're in'. That's the point. (PS And for the record, the EU market is not an insurance policy protecting all inward investment in Ireland. One of the largest investors – Pfizer in Cork – exports 80% of its product to the US, not Europe, and is therefore vulnerable to Trump tariffs.) Ewen Peters, Newton Mearns. • In Jackie Kemp's plea for an independent Scotland to join the EU (Letters, July 4), she stresses the potential trade benefits. Yet these can be obtained by joining EFTA/EEA (as advocated by Alba), without the need for the substantial annual net contributions to the EU which accession would entail. George Morton, Rosyth. Nelson Mandela with the late Queen Elizabeth: he was branded a terrorist by Margaret Thatcher (Image: PA) Send migrants to Dartmoor Sir Keir Starmer has said that he deeply regrets claiming that the UK risked becoming an "island of strangers". Why? Twenty thousand unwelcome strangers have crossed the Channel this year. Does Sir Keir not realise that these people will never contribute to our economy? We pay the French half a billion pounds to wave the boats off from Calais. There are over 32,000 asylum seekers in UK hotels at a cost of £1.3 billion a year. There are 19,244 foreign offenders awaiting deportation. Add on the cost of priority NHS treatment and the £40,000 a year for each of the 10,355 foreign offenders in jail. Asylum seekers (and everyone claims to be one) get £49.18 a week whilst their asylum claims are being processed. We should stop pandering to the pro-immigrant charities and migrant legal aid lawyers and put these pseudo asylum seekers in tents on Dartmoor guarded by the armed forces until their asylum claims have been determined. The UK needs to deter illegal immigration before we do become an "island of strangers". Clark Cross, Linlithgow. The end of empathy I recommend everyone reads Rebecca McQuillan's article (Now Donald Trump turns to alligators to terrorise migrants, ("Now Donald Trump turns to alligators to terrorise migrants", heraldscotland, July 3). This is where MAGA brainwashing leads to, and is brilliantly expressed by Ms McQuillan in her final paragraph: "Mirthless jokes about vulnerable othered minorities trying to escape man-eating animals. This is what happens when empathy dies." Willie Towers, Alford. Time to ditch green dreams On June 13, 2025, the UK Government announced a £500 million investment, paid for by UK taxpayers, to accelerate the development of the UK's first regional hydrogen transport and storage network. (Thankfully, most likely in the industrial heartlands of the UK – although the Scottish Government has similar ideas). One of the objectives of this funding is to complement the £2 billion which has already been invested by the Government to incentivise production of green hydrogen in the first hydrogen production allocation round contract (HAR1). This is like the incredibly lucrative 15-year initial Contracts for Difference (CfDs) awarded to to wind farm developers. This will mean new gas pipes being installed as well as new hydrogen storage depots. And that is on top of the desecration now being caused by the grid expansion to give us all more "green electricity". All this taxpayer money will be going to commercial companies to hasten our journey to net zero and a low-carbon economy. When such a fuss is being made over the £6 billion that might have been saved from welfare reforms, why is there no scrutiny of where our money is going to meet this net zero ideology? So were proposed winter fuel cuts and welfare cuts (both now watered down) supposed to fund the net zero ambitions? Perhaps its time for Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to question the sanity of Energy Minister Graham Stuart and use common sense to ditch the green dreams and balance the budget. Graham Lang, Chairman, Scotland Against Spin, Ceres, Fife. Accentuate the positive I was disappointed in your choice of front page headline: 'More than £1.4 million spent on cleaning up sewage spills" (The Herald, July 4). This is a fact, but why not emphasise the good news? Sewage spills costs have reduced by 75 per cent in two years, from £540k in 2022 to £136k in 2024. This might be a reflection that most wet wipes are now paper-based. Eric Macdonald, Paisley. Discontent over attribution Lord David Lipsey coined the phrase "winter of discontent" ("Labour peer who coined 'winter of discontent' phrase found dead after swim", The Herald, July 4)? Very strange: I always thought the author of that phrase was William Shakespeare, in the opening line of Richard III. Derrick McClure, Aberdeen.
The Herald Scotland
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish Government accused of undermining Ardrossan harbour
The ship is too big to fit into Ardrossan harbour safely, with planned upgrades halted in 2023 due to rising costs. The Scottish Government said earlier this year it was considering renationalising the harbour to ensure Ardrossan remains the mainland port for Arran. Read More: However, former Labour MP for Cunninghame North - now largely North Ayrshire and Arran - Brian Wilson has raised concerns after submitting a Freedom of Information request. The Herald columnist asked for communications concerning Ardrossan between transport secretary Fiona Hyslop and (Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd). Wilson wrote: "One interesting line had either slipped through the net or been left in deliberately, in which the chief executive of CMAL, Kevin Hobbs, wrote, the week following Ms Hyslop's instruction: 'We do not believe and have expressly stated that resilience at Ardrossan (given the entrance through the roundheads and turn) will never be as resilient as Troon given the open sea approach'. "In other words, the chief executive of CMAL could hardly have been clearer that they have no interest in pursuing what, in public, has been their obligation and the Scottish Government's aim. So the question now is whether Ms Hyslop's 'instruction' is ever intended to prevail? "I make no claim to nautical expertise but that is not the issue at stake. The real question is whether, consistent with Mr Hobbs' comments, CMAL and Transport Scotland have been (and still are) working to ensure that Ardrossan never again will be the gateway port for Arran. "If that is the case – as I believe it is – the people of Arran and Ardrossan have, for the past decade, been cynically and cruelly deceived. To that, I object strongly – and call for an inquiry into the full circumstances, without evasions or redactions." Under current regulations, the Scottish Government does not have the power to force a sale of the Ardrossan harbour. It's understood negotiations are ongoing between CMAL and Peel Ports over a potential deal. A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'This Government is fully committed to Ardrossan serving the Arran route and to investing in the harbour to ensure that the service is fit for the future. 'We want to see progress just as much as local campaigners do. However, as was explained to them when they met recently with CMAL, Transport Scotland and CalMac, a timeline can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful. 'It is wholly appropriate that CMAL leads on the Ardrossan negotiations. Should ownership transfer be successful, CMAL would be the asset owner and responsible for taking forward any development works at Ardrossan. As owners of 26 ports and harbours across Scotland, they also bring essential experience to these complex discussions. 'We will of course update Parliament and the local community once there is progress and an outcome to report, however, CMAL and Peel Ports need time and space to undertake and conclude negotiations.'
The Herald Scotland
22-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Inquiry demand over 'scandal' of 100s of jobs lost in ferry fiasco
A rejected proposal to create a Clyde shipbuilding revolution, save state-controlled Scots shipyard firm Ferguson Marine and help solve the nation's ferry crisis fronted by a Scots entrepreneur involves the creation of a fleet of 50 catamarans as part of an £800 million scheme - a fraction of the cost of those currently being built. The proposal works out at £16m per catamaran while the cost of the Scottish Government's 13 is at around £70m to date. Anger has erupted as an analysis of warnings by the state-owned ferry operator CalMac over potential and actual disruptions to passengers using two ferries on one of Scotland's busiest lifeline routes through technical faults and the ability to operate in adverse weather surrounded one of the two massively over-budget and wildly delayed ferry fiasco vessels - MV Glen Sannox. Users have told The Herald how of the two ferries operating from Troon to Arran it is the second emergency catamaran, MV Alfred - chartered for nearly two years from Pentland Ferries - that has become the 'reliable workhorse' despite being six years older than Glen Sannox which finally started taking passengers in January. Stuart Ballantyne with one of his catamaran designsAt the start of the month, the catamaran was chartered for a further five months to help cope with the continuing island ferry crisis at a public cost of £22m - that's £8m more than it cost to buy. It is believed that Alfred was modelled on designs by Stuart Ballantyne, a Scottish naval architect and chairman of Australian marine consulting firm Sea Transport Solutions who it has emerged began proposing the catamaran plan to the Scottish Government in 2008. That's seven years before state-owned ferry owner and procurer Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) signed off on the disastrous £97m ferry contract to build two ferries at the Inverclyde shipyard firm Ferguson Marine owned then by the Scots tycoon and entrepreneur Jim McColl after it got ministerial approval. The Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ferries were due to start taking passengers in the first half of 2018 with both eventually to serve Arran but have run seven years or more late with costs expected rise more than five fold the original £97m contract. In the midst of the delays and soaring costs, Ferguson Marine under the control of Mr McColl fell into administration and was nationalised at the end of 2019 with CMAL and the yard's management blaming each other. CMAL has since stuck with single hull ferries in designs for a new fleet of 11 vessels, with nearly £400m of contracts going abroad. It has denied it has been anti-catamaran. Read more: Now a group of experts has joined with Mr Ballantyne and local campaigners to raise concerns about the procurement of ferries in Scotland and said there should be a public inquiry into what is considered to be a "scandal". Among the group is Professor Alf Baird, a former director of the Maritime Research Group at Napier University who has been non-plussed by Scotland's failure to grasp the nettle of the catamaran project and shipping expert and consultant Roy Pedersen, who were both part of a high powered Scottish Government-formed advisory group over the ongoing ferry fiasco which was wound up in 2022 having not met since October, 2019. Some believe it is because ministers did not like the sound of dissenting voices. Alf Baird (Image: NQ) In a 2023 dossier from one ferry user group titled "CMAL's history of obstructing medium-speed catamaran" it detailed how Dr Baird had further presented the catamaran opportunity to the expert group in 2017 but there was resistance. Ten years ago leading academic Prof Neil Kay resigned from the advisory body months after it was created and accused the organisation of sidelining the interests of passengers. Now the group that also includes activists for the Campaign to Save Inchgreen Dry Dock which is fighting to save Scottish shipbuilding said the inquiry is needed in the wake of resistance to the catamaran project and the abolition of the expert advisory group. "Dismissing ferry advisers recruited specifically for their expert knowledge of the Scottish ferry services was seen by many as a deliberate ploy on the part of Transport Scotland to avoid scrutiny of CMAL's management and procurement failures," they said. This led to "over-specified" and overpriced major vessels and an "apparent inherent bias against a proven, more efficient and reliable catamaran option that would have greatly reduced capital and operating costs". They said: " If catamarans are not suited to our island routes as has been claimed, how can the Alfred be operating so successful..." A response from Transport Scotland's ferries infrastructure and finance division when asked about the catamaran project said that "any design solutions and procurement of new vessels by CMAL would be a decision for that authority and would need to be undertaken in line with applicable legislation and process." It said: " all proposals which may benefit Scotland's ferry network. This includes all appropriate vessel designs which can enhance or improve connections across Scotland's lifeline ferry network." The group said that this had "waved away any responsibility for the runaway costs, waste, abysmal performance and general havoc created by CMAL's design and procurement decisions". They went on: "This is surely a dereliction on the part of Transport Scotland of the duty to safeguard the public purse and the well being of the communities involved, otherwise what are they being paid for? "Dr Stuart Ballantyne's catamaran designs and plans were to build the new Scottish ferry fleet at Ferguson Marine - securing hundreds of jobs - Inchgreen and Govan dry docks. The 20-year plan that was given to current deputy first minister Kate Forbes in June 2022 could provide hundreds of skilled jobs and economic benefits for our Clyde communities and Scotland. The group said: "Instead, recent orders and taxpayers' money have gone to foreign shipyards for more over-specified vessels when cheaper to purchase and operate, home built catamaran designs are on the table. " They said responses to them "laid bare the total mismanagement of Scottish ferry services that continues to be a burden on the Scottish taxpayer. "It seems clear that CMAL is not fit for purpose and that the Scottish Government is not facing up to this long standing problem. There needs to be an independent public inquiry to get to the truth. Our island communities deserve much better. "It is time to make Clyde shipbuilding great again." It was envisaged that the major catamaran project would be based at nationalised Ferguson Marine, Inchgreen dry dock in Inverclyde and Govan dry dock. The Govan dry dock dates back to the 19th century, and has been out of action for more than 40 years but there are hopes that it can be brought back into use. Govan Drydock has said it wants to return the A listed dry dock to a fully operational ship repair and maintenance facility. The consortium headed by Mr Ballantyne said the plan will require a skilled workforce of around 1200 with hundreds more required in the supply chain. They say that the annual operating cost of catamarans is around half that of current CMAL monohull vessels. And they say that means that operating subsidies will be expected to be slashed as more catamarans begin to enter service. Mr Ballantyne, who over a decade ago received an honorary degree from Strathclyde University for services to the global maritime industry, says he believes that Scotland has the skills and infrastructure to establish a commercial shipyard which could be used to produce ferries not just for Scotland but for the export market. He said: "It is logical for a Scottish ferry company to logically support a Scottish shipbuilder for all the obvious reasons of local and national prosperity, skills training of youth, tackling youth crime and drug use. "I would suggest it is prudent to carry out a close investigation of CMAL decision makers... "The Scottish taxpayer is paying well above the odds over what can be produced locally." Four years ago the Scottish Government-owned owner of the ferry fleet demanded a foreign firm pay up to £100,000 to gain UK maritime approval before purchasing a ferry for just £9m - and the insistence led to the deal collapsing. That is £2m less than the current cost so far of repairs to 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles which is out of action indefinitely after being sidelined for 17 months. Pentland Ferries' emergency ferry for CalMac MV Alfred has been a reliable feature on the Arran ferry run (Image: Newsquest) Discussions about acquiring the Indonesia-built vessel, which was proposed by the Mull and Iona Ferry Committee came before what was described at the time as a 'summer of chaos' across Scotland's ageing ferry network. It was claimed that CMAL made an "incredible" move to have the overseas owners fork out for the official approvals for any modifications to make it suitable for Scottish waters, which were estimated to have cost no more than £100,000. Committee chairman Joe Reade said: "I would agree that CMAL and CalMac are averse to anything novel. All their vessels - even the newest ones are in many respects just modern interpretations of a very old design type, with ancient operating practices embedded into them. So we don't have lock-on linkspans, as have been used elsewhere for generations (thus removing the need for rope-handling, and crew to do it). "It only adds to the cost of the ship, the size of the superstructure and the number of crew. "More efficient crewing is not just a feature of catamarans - it's a feature of any inshore ferry that has been designed to commercial incentives. Neither CalMac nor CMAL have any incentive to build or operate efficiently. It does not matter if they operate efficiently or productively, because whatever the cost, we the taxpayer pick it up. "The simple reason why Pentland Ferries chose a catamaran design was because as a commercial enterprise, they have to compete to survive. They are incentivised to make cost-effective buying and operating decisions. CalMac and CMAL have no such incentives, and so our hugely expensive, profligate and shamingly wasteful ferry system continues. "The more expensive ferries are to buy, and the more costly it is to operate, the more pressure there will be to increase fares, and the more difficult it will be to maintain or improve services. The ferry system is in danger of becoming unaffordable if costs continue to spiral. "This matters to us not just as taxpayers, but as islanders too." A spokesperson for CMAL said: "CMAL is not anti-catamaran; but what often goes unreported is that in geographies similar to Scotland, with comparable weather and sea conditions, medium speed (below 20 knots) catamarans are not a common choice for passenger / commercial ferry services. "An important factor in vessel choice is compatibility with specific routes, as well as flexibility to meet vessel redeployment needs across the network. We will only ever order the vessels best suited to the routes and communities they are intended to serve.' A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: "Assessment of new vessel options for routes across our networks is led by CMAL, Transport Scotland and the relevant operator. "As part of the design process CMAL appoint naval architects and technical consultants to consider and advise on vessel designs and route specific issues. Various hull forms (including catamaran designs), propulsion options, fuel types, and onboard arrangements are considered and assessed as part of the design process. Engagement with communities, businesses and representative groups is essential, and it is maintained throughout the process.'
The Herald Scotland
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Major CalMac ferry is sidelined 'indefinitely' after £11m of repairs
It is now going back to dry dock for repairs just a couple of days after CalMac said in the latest of a series of false dawns for a return that it would be back in action from June 25. CalMac had been booking passengers on MV Caledonian Isles for the Ardrossan to Arran ferry crossing in the past couple of weeks in expectation of its return - only for it not to happen. A 'save Ardrossan' group had had to postpone a celebration because of the continuing uncertainty of the return of the ferry. Users estimate hundreds of passengers have had to be diverted 15 miles to Troon to get on either MV Glen Sannox or MV Alfred to get to Brodick on Arran. CalMac has told users that the decision has come after divers inspected MV Caledonian Isles and in with discussions with the manufacturer, had to be moved to dry dock for the next stage of efforts to resolve the "ongoing issue with pressure in the propulsion system". They were told that they were "unable to confirm a return to service date until the vessel has been docked and inspected. hr /> READ MORE: Why has a 'rudderless' CalMac ferry been out of action for 16 months 'Final nail in coffin'. Scots fiasco firm loses out on big ferry contract to Poland 'Material uncertainty' over Scots ferry operator future amidst £45m funding hike 'Mismanagement': Public cost of Scots ferry fiasco firm hits £750m amidst overspends They were told: "From that inspection, there are a range of scenarios and outcomes which could see a fix take anything from a few days to significantly longer. "To give certainty to communities and customers, we are working at speed to review deployment plans for the next few weeks and will publish any amendments to timetables early next week." It is expected that the Troon to Arran service would continue to be provided "Everyone at CalMac is really disappointed we do not have the vessel back in service. I am sorry that Arran continues to experience disruption, particularly on June 25," said the message. The cost of repairing 32-year-old MV Caledonian Isles has spiralled to be £2m more than a catamaran ferry available for £9m four years ago, which was rejected by Scottish Government-owned procuring and ferry owning company Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL). The rejected ferry was similar in design to the 'emergency' catamaran ferry MV Alfred serving Arran, which has now been chartered for a further five months to help state-owned ferry operator CalMac cope with lifeline services across the Clyde and Hebrides network. CalMac (Image: Newsquest) The usual Arran ferry MV Caledonian Isles was due out of its annual overhaul on February 17 last year but remains out of service. After a series of postponements, its latest scheduled return to the Ardrossan-Brodick route had been pencilled in for June 12. The ship has faced a series of issues including rust and twisted frames. In the meantime, the service to Brodick has had to move from Ardrossan and continue from Troon with a two-vessel service of the new, much delayed and wildly over-budget Ferguson Marine-built MV Glen Sannox and MV Alfred. Four years ago the Scottish Government-owned owner of the ferry fleet demanded a foreign firm pay up to £100,000 to gain UK maritime approval before purchasing a ferry for just £9m - and the insistence led to the deal collapsing. Discussions about acquiring the Indonesia-built vessel came before what was described at the time as a 'summer of chaos' across Scotland's ageing ferry network. It was claimed that CMAL made an "incredible" move to have the overseas owners fork out for the official approvals for any modifications to make it suitable for Scottish waters, which were estimated to have cost no more than £100,000. A ferry user group official said the continuing uncertainty over MV Caledonian Isles was "another farce" and added: "It is incredible that people have had bookings for ferries going from Ardrossan when there is so much uncertainty over if it will ever come back. "As I have said before, and this underlines it, it is more mismanagement from a ferry operator management that is being given an uncontested direct award of the ferry contract by the Scottish Government. " Dubbed the most environmentally-friendly ferry service of its kind in Scotland, MV Alfred was said to burn one third of the fuel of an equivalent CalMac ferry with space for up to 430 passengers and 98 cars, or 54 cars and 12 articulated vehicles/coaches. A shore-based wind turbine provides power when the vessel is docked overnight. p> MV Alfred (Image: NQ) It has been confirmed that the 'emergency' CalMac catamaran ferry, which is being chartered for a further five months, will be costing the taxpayer some £22m. Duncan Mackison, CalMac's chief executive said: 'Everyone at CalMac is disappointed that MV Caledonian Isles isn't ready to carry passengers yet, and I know that disappointment will be shared by communities across our network and by those who travel to and from Arran regularly. 'Once the vessel is in drydock, the inspection will take a few days. Until then, it is impossible to say how long any repair might take. But there is a range of possible scenarios going from the issue being resolved in a few days to it taking significantly longer. To give communities and customers certainty, we're removing MV Caledonian Isles from deployment plans for now and will provide a detailed update on any service impact early next week.'
