ScotGov's delivery of new wave of ferries put back more than two years

The Herald revealed that the start of the procurement of the Small Vessels Replacement Programme (SVRP) has already been delayed by nearly two years since 2021 when it was due to be delivered in 2026.

Ms Hyslop believed that five-year time scale related to CMAL's corporate plan.

But the Herald can confirm that the timescales were stated in the Scottish Government's own  infrastructure investment plan update in September, 2021 which stated that the ferries would serve island communities by 2026.

The plan document related to loans that would be given to CMAL for the ferries, said: "Design consultants have been appointed to progress the Small Vessel Replacement Programme. This will result in up to seven new vessels serving communities across Scotland within the next five years."

The ferries are due to be electric motor-powered modern versions of the three 42m hybrid vessels Ferguson Marine built successfully, on-time and on-budget before nationalisation, between 2012 and 2015.

Scotland's lifeline services has been dogged with issues with the delivery of ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa still not in service after being due online in the first half of 2018 when Ferguson Marine was under the control of tycoon Jim McColl. With both now due to serve Arran, they are getting on for six years late and the last estimates suggest the costs of delivery could more than quadrupled from the original £97m cost.

One ferry user group official said that the new wave of vessels had all the elements of a "new ferry fiasco".

"There is so much confusion over who said what to whom, but the fact of the matter is that these ferries should be a priority.

"Talk of 'reprofiling' in relation to this project is just another word for delay and islanders are rightly sick of the delays that have dogged projets for years."

Ms Hyslop in defending the progress of the scheme after finance secretary Shona Robison advised that the small lifeline ferries replacement plan had been "reprofiled" as had harbour improvements at Ardrossan and Gourock.

It means that an initial £41m spending plan on the ferries has been put back to the next financial year - 2024/25.

It is estimated by some that this will push the process back a further year.

Also put off is an estimated £34m spend on harbour improvements at Ardrossan and Gourock.

Ms Hyslop told MSPs: "The small vessels replacement programme is progressing well and CMAL has confirmed it remains on track...

"This is a crucial part of the process helping ensure we deliver value for money and that vessels and shore-side works align.

"Recent confirmation of in-year budgets does not impact on the overall delivery of key investments in these new ferries for our island communities, as first payments will not be due until contracts are actually awarded.

"There has been extensive work from CMAL in the design and business case development of the small vessel replacement program over the summer and autumn, including island community consultation and working with Transport Scotland, the work is progressing well to the next planned stage of procurement.

"In terms of what CMAL are asking for, they want to have progress, so do I. We're working with CMAL very closely.

"So in terms of the delivery of the vessels, clearly we are in the state that CMAL thought we would be in...and in relation to the delivery of the vessels, we are delivering the funding for the overall vessel programme that we said we do between 2021 and 2026. The small vessel replacement program will commence the building in 2026 with the delivery in those following two years, which is the current plan."

Campaigners have been pinning their hopes on Ferguson Marine getting a direct award of the ferry contract from the Scottish Government which is already looking to do the same for ferry operator CalMac as it is the 'preferred option' for the next Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract.

Loss-making Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) had pinned hopes on heavy involvement in the contract from the Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency for the replacement of seven 50m ageing 'loch class' ferries vessels serving the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS).

The Alba Party's general secretary Chris McEleny who is among those pushing for a direct award by the end of the year said: "It is time for the Scottish Government to get to grips with CMAL. It should be for the minister to tell CMAL when the Government wants its priorities delivered, not for CMAL to tell the Government what it thinks the priorities are and when they will be delivered. "

The former Inverclyde Council SNP group leader believes that without the guarantee that the ferries contract award will go to Ferguson Marine it will no longer be a going concern after the final completion of the long delayed Glen Sannox and sister ship the Glen Rosa.

He added: "Simply put, if the Scottish Government do not directly award the contract to replace Calmac small vessels to Ferguson’s they will be choosing to close the gates on the yard. The decision to delay the SVRP now means it is likely that when Ferguson’s launches the Glen Rosa in March next year the yard will be sitting empty with not a single piece of work being carried out in it within four months."

The board of state-owned shipyard firm Ferguson Marine has admitted a lack of commitment over future Scottish Government investment in upgrading facilities at the last surviving commercial shipbuilder on the Clyde, means the ability to pursue a vital Scottish Government contract to build seven small ferries "remains uncertain".

In February, 2021, state-owned ferry owners and buyers, CMAL said that the procurement for the replacement vessels was "on course" to begin within the next 12 months. The Herald understands that in August, CMAL was finally expecting the first questionnaire stage of the procurement process to begin this month. It has yet to start.

German ship design consultants were handed £360,000 two years ago to help with the concept the seven ferries and try to provide better and greener lifeline services for Scotland's islands.

Flensburg-based Navalue, which was formed four years ago, was brought in to help provide planning direction for a the project to replace some of the country's oldest vessels on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services network.

Scottish Conservative MSP Jamie Greene, who has been quizzing the transport minister over the ferries position said: “Fiona Hyslop’s answers directly contradicted what her colleague – Shona Robison – outlined to the Finance Committee last week.

“Shona Robison made clear that money for replacement small vessels had been pushed back a year, so it was either naïve optimism or downright deceit for the transport secretary to insist these vessels will still set sail in 2026.

“Islanders have no faith in the SNP’s ability to deliver these lifeline vessels on time or on budget given the other ferry fiascos they have presided over.  

“This SNP Government must urgently come clean about what these delays will mean and whether Ferguson Marine stand any chance of landing the contract to build these ferries.

“Mixed messages from SNP ministers do our betrayed island communities no favours whatsoever. They are muddying the waters with jargon and excuses when it’s time they were finally upfront with islanders.”