'DEATH KNELL' FEAR FOR FERRIES SHIPYARD

Ferguson Marine blow as it loses out on new CalMac contract to Polish bid

- Richard Elias

THE "death knell" may have sounded for publicly-owned shipyard, Ferguson Marine after it failed to win a contract to build seven new ferries, critics warned last night.

The devastating blow will see the vessels, which had been due to be into service for CalMac on routes connecting various islands, will now be constructed in Poland.

Yesterday's announcement was made by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure for the ferry services serving much of the country.

Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk won the tender process beating off competition from five other bids.

Reacting to the news, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives was in no doubt where the blame lay for the failure to win the bid.

Russell Findlay said: "These CalMac ferries should be built in Scotland, not Poland.

"But this hammer blow to workers is a direct result of SNP corruption and incompetence."

While his Conservative colleague, Sue Webber, the party's transport spokesman, was equally vocal.

She stated: "This announcement is devastating for Ferguson Marine and could yet prove the death knell for the yard.

"It should be a given that a nationalised shipyard wins a Scottish Government contract.

"Yet it's a measure of how badly the SNP have mismanaged Ferguson's that ferries which should be built on the west coast of Scotland are instead to be made in eastern Europe."

Ms Webber, who demanded ministers explain to MSPs how the contract was lost, concluded: "The blame for this outrageous situation lies squarely with incompetent SNP ministers who have let down workers at the yard, and ferry passengers across Scotland, at every turn.