Senior SNP MSP pushes to ditch Scots fiasco ferries for Turkish ships

One of the SNP's most senior MSPs has suggested ditching the Scottish fiasco ferries destined for one of the nation's busiest routes in favour of vessels from Turkey.

Kenneth Gibson, whose Cunningham South constituency covers Arran has made the suggestion in the wake of huge questions over whether the mainland port of Ardrossan is capable of handling the two hugely delayed and over-budget ferries currently still being built by state-owned Ferguson Marine which are due to serve Arran.

The Paisley-born MSP whose political history with the SNP dates back to his time when he was a councillor in Glasgow for Mosspark between 1992 and 1999, has said he is asking his colleagues on the Scottish Government to consider the switch in the wake of the Ardrossan 'debacle'.

Mr Gibson, the 62-year-old current convener of the Scottish Parliament's finance and public administration committee said the two ferries still being completed at the Scottish Government-owned Ferguson Marine yard in Inverclyde could be redeployed for on the Uig Triangle lifeline services, supporting the communities at Skye, Lochmaddy on North Uist and Tarbert on the Isle of Harris.

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The first of four Scottish Government-backed new smaller ferries being built in Turkey, the  MV Isle of Islay is on schedule to be delivered in October - seven months before the latest scheduled arrival of Glen Rosa and just three months after the latest estimated date for the arrival of Glen Sannox.

It comes after the Herald revealed that Ardrossan may not ever be used to take much delayed and over-budget ferries despite the green light being given for upgrade works by the current First Minister six years ago.

The proposal came after he travelled to Arran on Monday to meet members of the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee and representatives of the business community.

He said that "many others" had agreed to his proposal because of the continuing delays to the redevelopment of Ardrossan, but accepted wider discussions will be required before it would be actively considered.

He believes the smaller Turkey vessels are more suitable for use in the port of Ardrossan where one of the two vessel berths has been shut down shut permanently by owners Peel Ports following safety concerns.

The Turkey vessels have the capacity for up to 450 passengers and 100 cars.  The Ferguson Marine ferries can take nearly twice as many passengers at 852 and around 127 cars.

One of the concerns when the Arran Ferry Action Group was established in the summer of 2020, was over why the  island was getting such a large boat from Ferguson Marine when it would require tens of millions to alter the Ardrossan harbour. It was suggested two medium sized boats were what were really needed which it was said would fit in Ardrossan without an expensive alteration.

It was Humza Yousaf, the current First Minister, who was then transport minister, who gave the green light for the major upgrade at Ardrossan in April 2018, nearly three years after the contracts were signed to have Inverclyde shipyard firm Ferguson Marine build the ferries.

It followed a public commitment from the Scottish Government that Ardrossan would remain Arran's mainland port, in the face of a rival bid from Troon.

The Scottish Government-owned ferry operator CalMac has already been planning to use Troon rather than Ardrossan for the two Ferguson ferries that will serve Arran. That was when it was hoped that the first of the dual-fuel vessels would be ready for passengers in the Spring of last year.

But there is concern that shifting from Ardrossan to Troon would mean travelling times rising from 55 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes and many users say a cut in sailings would be inevitable.

The Scottish Government confirmed that no decision had been made over whether Ardrossan would remain the mainland port for the Arran service – placing serious question marks over the upgrade project.

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It is understood there have been issues over how the cost of the Ardrossan redevelopment  – which in 2022 was estimated at £40m – would be divided between the Scottish Government quango Transport Scotland, the harbour owner Peel Ports and North Ayrshire Council.

There have been further discussions amongst funding partners over the required project scope – which could set the costs even higher. The full business case remains incomplete, and the project has still to be put out to tender.

No money has yet been agreed for port facilities at Ardrossan or Troon to provide the 'sustainable' Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa with the 'green' fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Glen Sannox began sea trials for the first time on Tuesday - but without LNG.

Mr Gibson, who was first voted in as an MSP at the first election of the newly devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999 said: "I don’t think it’s a secret that Peel Ports want the public sector to fund more of the redevelopment project than currently proposed. However, the UK’s Subsidy Control Act limits the extent to which a wholly private asset can be funded by the public purse.

"As well as a new harbour in Ardrossan, we need more ferry capacity, and we need it soon. The Glen Sannox is due to enter service in the next few months having started its sea trials. However, due to the temporary move to Troon and the subsequent reduced number of daily sailings, this will not have the positive impact on capacity that it should have.

"I am therefore asking the Scottish Government to consider whether the vessels currently under construction in Turkey... should be used for Arran instead. Their size is more suitable for Ardrossan, whilst the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa could sail the Uig Triangle, where the harbours are more suitable.

"Given that the redevelopment of Ardrossan is not likely to be begin on site this year, given agreements on cost, timescale and going out to tender have still to be finalised, it would seem sensible that the new vessels operate from the Uig Triangle and the new smaller Turkish vessels sail from Ardrossan.

"It would still be sensible to sail from Ardrossan until the new ships arrive from overseas."

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “There are no plans to alter the proposed deployment of these vessels. Upgrades at Ardrossan would be required regardless and a business case is being developed to inform these decisions, which local MSPs have been briefed on. We would assure communities that this work is of vital importance in defining the scope of works, allowing greater certainty of the project costs and the financial package required from each of the funding partners, to deliver an improved service for the Arran community.

“The additional capacity which the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa will bring is more suited to the Arran route and we continue to work with project partners and communities on planning for the introduction of MV Glen Sannox, with services initially operating from Troon.”