Latest news with #PeelPorts
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stalemate fears over Ardrossan harbour buyout plan
Campaigners fear a plan to bring Ardrossan harbour into public ownership to enable a major redevelopment has reached a stalemate. The North Ayrshire port faces an uncertain future because two new CalMac ferries ordered for the Arran route are too big to fit the existing facilities. Ministers announced earlier this year they hoped to buy the harbour from its owner Peel Ports so that the long-promised upgrade could finally progress. The Save Ardrossan Harbour campaign says it has now been told the talks have stalled and an early resolution looks unlikely. The Scottish government promised seven years ago that Ardrossan would remain the main gateway to Arran. Ministers pledged to help fund the multi-million pound upgrade required to accommodate the new CalMac ferries MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa. Government considers buying Ardrossan harbour Lifeline harbour plan in limbo, says ferries boss Since then costs have risen and the project has been left in limbo because of disagreements over how the bill should be split between the three partners; Peel Ports, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish government. It has been estimated the redevelopment could now cost £80m. In February, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop revealed that money had been set aside to take the harbour into public ownership in an attempt to break the logjam. But an update meeting involving government-owned ferries and ports body CMAL - which is leading the negotiations - has left the campaigners frustrated. Christine Cowie, from Save Ardrossan Harbour, said previous assurances that things were "moving at pace" now appeared to be "totally wrong". "They seem to have reached a stalemate," she told BBC Scotland News. "There seems to be a gap between what the government is prepared to pay and what Peel Ports wants to accept." After the meeting, also attended by representatives from Transport Scotland and CalMac, the campaigners wrote a letter to Peel Ports managing director Lewis McIntyre criticising the "the ongoing delay in finalising the long-awaited deal". The letter says: "We understand from CMAL that an offer has now been made, and that they are currently awaiting a response from Peel Ports. "This delay is not just administrative - it is actively harming the interests of Ardrossan, the Isle of Arran, and North Ayrshire as a whole." Peel Ports responded by issuing a statement accusing public officials of failing to negotiate with sufficient urgency. A spokesperson said: "We've entered negotiations in good faith, working with pace and energy to a timetable we believed was achievable. "Unfortunately, that pace and energy hasn't been matched by those at the negotiating table. "We appreciate that the buyers have other ferry issues to contend with but reaching a swift conclusion will require them to give this negotiation a higher priority." Sources at Peel Ports said there had been no contact with CMAL for six weeks. Ardrossan has now been without a ferry service to Arran since January, when MV Glen Sannox entered service - sailing instead from Troon - and a smaller vessel which was capable of berthing at the harbour was redeployed. The campaigners say the town has suffered economically during this period, as many Arran residents often travel there for things like car repairs or dental appointments. Sailings are due to resume in a fortnight's time when the old Arran ferry MV Caledonian Isles returns after 17 months of repairs, but that might only provide short-term relief. Residents are worried that once the second of the ships, MV Glen Rosa, is delivered - currently expected next summer - it could lose its ferry connection once again. CMAL said it was limited in what it could say during commercial negotiations but insisted it was working hard to find a resolution. "CMAL are fully committed to maintaining a robust and resilient ferry service for the Isle of Arran, and no option is off the table," it said in a statement. "However, we must also ensure we deliver the best value for the public purse." Transport Scotland has been contacted for comment. Ms Howie said the Ardrossan campaigners left the meeting with a sense that the purchase of the harbour was far from guaranteed. "At no time did any of them say we are committed to Ardrossan harbour and we're doing our best," she said. "Quite honestly, we felt like we were just a nuisance being there." When the business case for replacements ferries was drawn up in 2014 it stated that "no port modification work will be required to accommodate these vessels initial deployment". But designs put forward by bidding shipyards to meet the ambitious specifications for the dual-fuel ships were heavier than either CMAL or CalMac expected. Computer simulations on the chosen design involving CalMac captains found it would be difficult to berth such large ships at Ardrossan harbour which requires an awkward "handbrake turn". Troon, about 15 miles further south, is capable of handling them but the crossing to Arran is longer, meaning only three daily sailings are scheduled instead of five. The harbour at Ardrossan also benefits from direct train connections while at Troon there is a 15-minute walk from the port to the station. The uncertainty over which port the new liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships will sail from has also left plans to install fast refuelling stations on hold. CMAL awarded a £4.5m contract to build the facilities to a Danish firm in 2020. The dual-fuel ships instead are currently refuelled with LNG directly from road tankers, a process that takes three times longer than filling up with diesel. Ardrossan Harbour campaigners hold protest on ferry route Government considers buying Ardrossan harbour Lifeline harbour plan in limbo, says ferries boss Were Scotland's new gas-powered ferries a bad choice?
The National
5 days ago
- Business
- The National
Ardrossan Harbour deal 'far from complete', campaigners claim
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced earlier this year that she had asked officials to look at the potential purchase of the harbour in North Ayrshire. For almost 200 years, ferries have left from the harbour for Arran, but for the majority of this year there have been no services from Ardrossan because the Glen Sannox – and its sister ship Glen Rosa that is yet to enter service – are too big to berth there. The Glen Sannox has been travelling to Arran from Troon alongside the MV Alfred, while the Caledonian Isles – which is due to return to Ardrossan next month – has been out of action since January 2024. The Ardrossan Harbour Task Force met for the first time in a year in April after which the Scottish Government said it remained committed to trying to purchase the site. READ MORE: Robin McAlpine: Why I'm angry about the approval of the Loch Lomond Flamingo Land plan However, since then, campaigners from Arran for Ardrossan Harbour have met with CMAL, Transport Scotland, CalMac and Peel Ports – which currently owns the site. Wyllie Hume, chair of the group, claimed they were told at the meeting by Kevin Hobbs, CEO of government-owned ferries and harbours body CMAL, that the public ownership deal is "far from complete". He also claimed CMAL said Peel Ports was asking for 'an exorbitant amount' for the dilapidated harbour that it could not afford. Hume added: 'Throughout the entire meeting, he and the Transport [Scotland] representative treated us as an irritant and gave the impression that they were meeting us under sufferance. 'A no point in the discussions did Mr Hobbs say he was committed to saving Ardrossan Harbour or that he is strongly committed to pursuing the buyout.' (Image: Arran for Ardrossan Harbour) Hume said the group now plans to campaign 'more aggressively' against Peel Ports, including organising a protest outside the company's offices in Glasgow. Peel Ports said it has been working with 'pace and energy' on negotiations, but claimed this has not been matched by other parties at the table. Transport Scotland said a timeline 'can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful'. Bosses explained that neither CMAL or the Scottish Government could force the sale of a port or use compulsory purchase powers under existing harbours legislation. READ MORE: Highlands and Islands residents split over £100bn investment plan CMAL told The National it remains 'fully committed' to maintaining a 'robust and resilient' ferry service but must ensure 'we deliver the best value for the public purse'. The task force involves Transport Scotland, North Ayrshire Council, Peel Ports, CalMac, CMAL, the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee and the area's MSP Kenneth Gibson. The Ardrossan port requires a costly berth realignment in order to accommodate the new Glen Sannox – which entered service to Arran in January – and the Glen Rosa – which is now not due to be delivered until 2026. The Ardrossan Harbour Project – to develop the port and make it suitable for the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa – was given the go-ahead way back in 2018 by then transport minister Humza Yousaf, but the project was paused in 2023 and a fresh business case has never emerged. With ferries only going in and out of Troon for the past few months, residents in Arran have been struggling to get to medical appointments at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, which is easily reachable by bus from Ardrossan but much more challenging to get to from Troon. There are also fears Ardrossan could suffer a similar fate to Stranraer, which in 2011 lost the ferry to Northern Ireland after more than 150 years. The local economy quickly took a significant downturn after Stena Line moved up the coast to Cairnryan. A spokesperson from CMAL said: 'We met with Save Ardrossan Harbour, Arran for Ardrossan Harbour, CalMac and Transport Scotland at the CMAL offices last week to discuss the current situation. While we recognise this is an emotive issue for the Arran and Ardrossan communities, we are in the middle of a commercial negotiation process, which limits the amount of information that can be shared. 'We are fully committed to maintaining a robust and resilient ferry service for the Isle of Arran, and no option is off the table. However, we must also ensure we deliver the best value for the public purse.' Transport Scotland said it will update Parliament and the community once there is progress to report. A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and their frustration that there is not yet more progress to report. 'The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future and 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. 'CMAL and Peel Ports need time and space to undertake and conclude negotiations.' A Peel Ports spokesperson said: 'We've entered negotiations in good faith, working with pace and energy to a timetable we believed was achievable. Unfortunately, that pace and energy hasn't been matched by those at the negotiating table. 'We appreciate that the buyers have other ferry issues to contend with but reaching a swift conclusion will require them to give this negotiation a higher priority.'
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greenock Hockey Club says Peel Ports deal will help secure game's future in area
GREENOCK HOCKEY CLUB officials say that the generosity of Peel Ports have helped ensure the future of the sport in Inverclyde. The marine property giants have entered a three year sponsorship agreement with the club's women's first team, becoming the team's new front-of-shirt sponsor after the club moved away from Morton in the Community's stewardship. Greenock Hockey Club were delighted to announce the partnership earlier this week (Image: supplied) Greenock hockey club chiefs insist that the company's backing will help them compete at the highest level possible at an exciting time for the sport within the local area. And the club believes that there couldn't be a better time to try your hand at a new sport, as they continue to grow ahead of a new state-of-the-art pitch being installed at Inverclyde Academy. A spokesperson said: "We're thrilled to reveal Peel Ports as our women's first team official strip sponsor. "It's especially exciting since our club emblem proudly features the iconic Titan Crane, a symbol of our shared roots! READ MORE: Greenock schoolgirls see round the cranes they named after winning Peel Ports competition "Sponsorship like this is invaluable to our club, especially as a brand-new hockey pitch is being installed at Inverclyde Academy. "With pitch costs, Peel Port Group's generous support will help ensure we can train and compete at the highest level on this fantastic new surface. "Their backing is directly contributing to the future of hockey in Greenock. "We're also a growing club and always on the lookout for new players! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced player, we cater to all age groups and skill levels—if you're interested in learning a new sport, now's the perfect time to get involved! Peel Ports bosses couldn't hide their delight at being able to help the club take their plans to the next level after inviting team members to a behind the scenes look of how the Port of Greenock operates. Peel Ports say they're committed to supporting community initiatives (Image: supplied) The club were also treated with a trip up one of the port's newest cranes on their visit as the owners reiterated their commitment to supporting community initiatives. A Peel spokesperson said: "We're delighted to begin our three year sponsorship of Greenock Hockey Club. "It was a pleasure to welcome the team to the Port of Greenock this week, giving them a behind-the-scenes tour of our operations, including a trip up our new crane named 'Craner Swift' - which received its creative name through a competition with local schools. "As a key employer in the area, we're committed to supporting local community initiatives that bring people together from across Inverclyde. "The dedication and teamwork demonstrated by Greenock Hockey Club mirror the values we champion at Peel Ports Group, and we're excited to watch their progress over the coming seasons."
