Kate Forbes ducks question on her confidence in delivery of ferry fiasco ships after spiralling faults

A damning March internal analysis from minister-controlled ferry owners and procurers Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited reveals the number of faults that remain outstanding on the ferries has risen from 166 before nationalisation to 237 in March. Some 65% of them relate to safety, maintainability, or specification requirements.

Ms Forbes repeated a past update that the Glen Sannox and Hull 802, which are currently still languishing in the Inverclyde shipyard, are scheduled to see service for island communities March and May 2023 and between October and December 2023 respectively and that the next update is due at the end of June.

Both vessels are set to be over five years late while costs have soared from £97m to £250m.

Ms Forbes, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch confirmed that 119 of the 237 faults were classed as category 1 issues while the rest were described as "minor snagging". Of the 119, there were engineering solutions for 83 leaving "36 that are still being worked on".

In the wake of the fault issues, Scottish Conservatives' West Scotland Jamie Greene asked Ms Forbes on a scale of one to ten how confident she was that Glen Sannox would see service next year. And he asked her if she would put her job on the line if it does not happen.

But Ms Forbes dodged both questions.

She said that good progress was being made on resolving the issues with the ships and added: "Can I remind [Mr Greene) that I represent a community that is set to benefit from one of these vessels.

"Solutions are expected progressively without delays or impacts on the programme.

"Solving all these issues is critically important. It's part of the programme, and I think we've got the best people on the ground to do that, too."

READ MORE: Ferguson Marine: Shipyard bosses fear £250m ferries will never be used amidst spiralling series of serious faults

“Missing” Scottish Government documents that were suddenly found last week disclosed that officials sought deputy first minister John Swinney’s blessing for the ferries deal to the Jim McColl-led Ferguson Marine in 2015 in addition to an original nod of approval of then transport minister Derek Mackay.

And Mr Greene responded: "We do have good people, but we don't have as an answer, no cast iron guarantee and once again, no one in the SNP is willing to take full responsibility for the delivery of this project or the delivery of those vessels.

"There clearly remains a very real risk, very real risk, that these ferries will not be delivered more than five years after their due date, and the cost is now spiralling to more than a quarter of a billion pounds of taxpayers money.

"Will the government today commit to the deputy first minister, make an official statement to this parliament on his role in all of this. And secondly, will the government agree to full public inquiry into their handling of the shambles."

Ms Forbes said the Scottish Government had accepted the recommendations in the Audit Scotland report including one that there should be an in-depth 'lessons learnt' inquiry.

"I have been absolutely crystal clear on what I expect from Ferguson Marine in completing the vessels," she said. "It was not a document that resulted in delayed construction to the vessels. That is a question of construction.

"And he doesn't need to believe me on that. He just needs to read the Audit Scotland report on that.

"It is quite clear, that the reason why they are overdue and over budget is a question of construction. And that is why my priority is to make sure that these boats are delivered, not just for his constituents, but for my constituents too."

Internal documents from nationalised shipyard firm Ferguson Marine admitted a serious risk that minister-controlled ferry owners and procurers Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited may not accept the vessels for the ferry operator CalMac’s lifeline services to Scotland’s island communities.

CMAL, in one document criticises management systems in place and said the most pressing risk issue was the "failure to completely understand the actual remaining works that must be completed in order to deliver each vessel".

Ferguson Marine analysis from April reveals highest level risk concerns in five key areas, with new project 'non-conforming issues' surrounding stability, the fuel system. and escape routes.

An April analysis by Ferguson Marine even raises concerns that a "mature" workforce were not buying into the bid to deliver the ferry project at the now nationalised shipyard firm.

Of the faults issues, CMAL states: "The resolution of these is considered crucial prior to vessel handover. The impact of which remains unknown and not factored into the vessel programme.

It said the yard process "continues to apportion no special priority" to the outstanding faults - termed as owner observation reports (OORs).

"The emphasis given over to statutory priority 1 issues should warrant far greater attention," their analysis states.

It has further emerged that Ferguson Marine has stated that it is to continue to work with bodies such as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and maritime classification society Lloyds Register which oversee vessel seaworthiness to "derisk the design and agree acceptable concessions".

An April risk assessment from the nationalised Inverclyde shipyard firm Ferguson Marine reveals that there was "no agreed solution" over OORs regarding one of the vessels, Glen Sannox which have to be rectified as part of the contract.

It revealed a serious risk that that if all OORs are "not agreed as closed" with CMAL that acceptance of the vessel "will be difficult to achieve". It was given a 250 risk score, understood to be the highest level.

Up to August 16, 2019, the date at which Ferguson Marine under tycoon Jim McColl entered administration, CMAL had issued 346 OORs to Ferguson Marine, faults which have to be rectified as part of the contract.

Of these, Ferguson Marine had resolved 180 and 166 were outstanding.

At the end of January 2022, there were 175 outstanding OORs including incomplete structural work – which will increase costs and delays – nine more than when the Scottish Government took control of the yard at the end of 2019.

Mr Swinney has insisted the "right steps" were taken over awarding the controversial contract to Ferguson Marine shipyard.

And he has indicated that the SNP may bow to demands for a public inquiry over the ferries scandal as he came under pressure to explain his decision to give “budget approval” to the ferry fiasco contract.

Speaking on a recent  visit to the Outer Hebrides, Mr Swinney said a full public inquiry could be held “in due time” into why SNP ministers insisted on handing the contract to the yard, which was owned by an independence-supporting businessman Jim McColl, despite CMAL eventually warning it was too risky.

“People have suggested there should be an inquiry - at this stage I'm focused on completing these ferries," he said.

Mr Swinney added: “Calls for a public inquiry can be considered in due time. The absolute priority has to be the completion of the two vessels at the Ferguson yard and getting them on the CalMac network.”