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Shipyard Ferguson Marine 'Forced Into Administration' by Scottish Government

24th February 2020
File photo: The unfinished Scottish Western Isles ferry Glen Sannox was launched on Clydeside in 2017 at Fergusons shipyard, two years before the complex was nationalised. File photo: The unfinished Scottish Western Isles ferry Glen Sannox was launched on Clydeside in 2017 at Fergusons shipyard, two years before the complex was nationalised. Credit: The Scotsman-twitter

On Clydeside a troubled shipyard was "forced into administration" by the Scottish Government without giving the private sector time to save it, a dossier compiled by its former owner has claimed.

Ferguson Marine, the last yard in Scotland still handling non-defence orders, was nationalised by Holyrood ministers late last year after a contract to build two new ferries was beset by massive delays and cost overruns.

Jim McColl, the Monaco-based billionaire who took charge of the shipyard in 2014 through his Clyde Blowers company, has been critical of how the Scottish Government has handled the debacle.

A dossier, compiled by a QC on McColl's behalf, has now claimed Nicola Sturgeon's failure to mediate between Fergusons bosses and government quango Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) led to the yard's collapse and left taxpayers picking up the bill.

For more on the story HERE reports The Scotsman on the duel-fuel ferries destined for Isle of Arran and Uig Triangle services.    

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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