25-04-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Mersey shipyard to build new vessels for CalMac rival
Western, which has built a strong reputation for the reliability of its frequent Gourock to Dunoon service, expects both new vessels to be delivered to the Firth of Clyde in the autumn of 2016. The new additions will lower the average age of the Western fleet to just over six years when they come into service.
Privately owned Western has a four-strong fleet which operates a frequent shuttle service between McInroy's Point in Gourock and Hunter's Quay in Dunoon. It runs around 32,000 sailings of the 20-minute crossing per year, with sailings taking place 365 days per year.
Its decision to name APCL Cammell Laird as preferred bidder for its next two ferries builds on a successful relationship between the two parties, which was established in 2013 when the shipyard built, designed, and delivered the Sound of Seil and Sound of Soay for the company. Western, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, declared the vessels have since proven to be 'stalwarts' of its fleet, with their 'proven reliability and, importantly, commercial performance' key factors in confirming APCL Cammell Laird as preferred bidder.
Western managing director Gordon Ross said: 'Western Ferries is pleased to announce the preferred bidder statement of a new vessel construction contract to leading UK shipbuilder APCL Cammell Laird, reinforcing a strong and trusted partnership rooted in British maritime excellence.
'APCL Cammell Laird was selected as the preferred bidder due to the strength of its proposal, demonstrating exceptional value in cost, expertise, and the quality of its shipbuilding facilities. Their bid was immensely strong on all fronts, and with their heritage of maritime excellence, we are confident that they will deliver vessels of the highest quality, on time and on budget.'
The shipbuilder, which part of the APCL Group, has secured the work for Western as it moves into the final stages of constructing the latest Mersey Ferry. The company built the RRS Sir David Attenborough and along with the wider APCL Group is delivering units for HMS Belfast Ship 3 and HMS Birmingham Ship 4 of the new Type 26 class of frigates. These programmes are being delivered on behalf of BAE.
David McGinley, group chief executive of APCL Group, said: 'APCL Group welcomes the announcement of this latest contract with Western Ferries, further developing the partnership between both companies.
'We would like to thank Western Ferries for its ongoing confidence in our facilities and our shipbuilding capabilities. This contract marks the next major milestone in APCL Group being recognised as the UK's leading commercial shipbuilder.
'Continued orders from British companies to British shipyards ensure that the UK remains as a leader of commercial shipbuilding on the world stage.'
The latest accounts for Western Ferries (Clyde), published in December, showed an increase in pre-tax profits to £2.87 million for the year to March 31, 2024, up from £2m the year prior. Speaking to The Herald at the time, Mr Ross said although profits increased Western continued to be in recovery mode following the Covid-19 pandemic, which had a huge impact on tourism in the Cowal peninsula and wider Argyll and Bute region.
The company has long-held ambitions to operate other routes on Scotland's west coast, but to date has been thwarted because of CalMac's long-running contract with Transport Scotland to run the entire Clyde and Hebrides network.
