MINISTERS have been accused of ignoring proposals for a Clyde shipbuilding revolution to solve Scotland's ferry crisis by forging ahead with alternative plans to procure two more ferries.
The day after announcing that she was going in another direction, transport minister Jenny Gilruth said she was willing to meet those putting forward the £800m scheme fronted by Stuart Ballantyne, a Scottish naval architect and chairman of Australian marine consulting firm Sea Transport Solutions, whose designs are used in around 50 countries.
On Wednesday, Scottish Government-controlled ferry owners Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) confirmed it will be seeking new ferries built to the same specifications as new vessels being designed and built in Turkey for Islay - and they are not catamarans.
The head of the Clyde Catamaran Group has already told ministers that the new ferries built over 20 years would cost a fraction of those currently being built.
The consortium that also includes Peter Breslin, managing director of Govan Drydock, have been in discussions with ministers about the ferry-building programme to replace the nation’s “obsolete” fleet and breathe new life into Scottish shipbuilding.
The project for 50 ferries for use by CalMac for the lifeline islands services off the west coast of Scotland and for services to Orkney and Shetland would cost £250m more than it has so far cost to build just four in Turkey and at Ferguson Marine in Scotland.
The group say they also expect the savings in operating subsidy to exceed £1 billion over the 20-year build programme period.
But Ms Gilruth has now announced that they are now effectively going down another route by seeking another contractor to build two ferries for longsuffering islanders as attempts are made to shore up the nation’s ageing ferry fleet.
Transport Scotland said it is hoped that both ferries will be in place by 2026 and that they will serve the communities of Harris and North Uist, which have suffered severe disruption since the beginning of this year.
The Scottish Government agency has confirmed that the new ferries will be built to the same specification as new ferries which are being designed and built in Turkey for Islay.
The Clyde Catamaran Group's ambitious proposals state that the entire Scottish ferry fleet of some 50 vessels could in "large part" be financed through savings in operating subsidy, "without significant changes in user tariffs or Scottish Government having to find significant additional money".
Under the current rate of ferry delivery, 50 ferries would take 140 years to complete.
But the group that also includes Professor Alf Baird, former director of the Maritime Research Group at Napier University said that their scheme would involve a further ten vessels for the export market for £200m over the 20 years.
It was envisaged that the major catamaran project would be based at nationalised Ferguson Marine, Inchgreen dry dock in Inverclyde and Govan dry dock.
A Clyde Catamaran Group spokesman said of the Scottish Government's decision: "This decision totally ignores the many opportunities the CCG plan gave to regenerate our shipbuilding industry on the Clyde, create hundreds of skilled jobs, refurbish Inchgreen and Govan dry docks, boost local economies in Inverclyde and Govan and most importantly, save the tax payer millions.
"CCG has clearly shown that the capital and operating cost comparison for Clyde built catamaran ferries is far ahead of building these vessels overseas. We will be meeting the Scottish Transport minister Jenny Gilruth in the near future to discuss our CCG plan and promote its benefits.
"However, it seems the Scottish Government continue to allow their bureaucrats at Transport Scotland and CMAL to waste taxpayers money on their failed procurement strategy and have ignored providing much needed jobs on the Clyde."
The group's plan for 50 catamarans at the current rate of delivery would take 140 years.
The group which has presented its initial case for change to the current CMAL ferry procurement process to Ms Gilruth and finance secretary Kate Forbes had said it is "not feasible or acceptable" to delay replacement "as many ships are already too old and need scrapped, plus cost of ship repair and maintenance is increasing markedly".
It is envisaged that the major catamaran project would be based at nationalised Ferguson Marine, Inchgreen dry dock in Inverclyde and Govan dry dock.
The Govan dry dock dates back to the 19th century, and has been out of action for more than 40 years but there are hopes that it can be brought back into use. Govan Drydock has said it wants to return the A listed dry dock to a fully operational ship repair and maintenance facility by the end of this year.
It comes after the cost to build two CalMac ferries at the Ferguson Marine shipyard has soared by nearly £100m.
According to new Ferguson Marine estimates, the costs are now forecast to rise by nearly £100m from around £240m to nearly £340m.
Issues with building the ferries mean that Glen Sannox was originally not to see service till between March and May 2023 at the earliest, while Hull 802 was not due to set sail till between October and December 2023.
The handover of Hull 802 is not now planned until the first three months of 2024.
Transport Scotland said after the Clyde Catamaran Group's plan was revealed: “The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining and improving lifeline ferry services that play a key role in supporting the economic, social and cultural development of island and remote mainland communities. We are already investing over £580 million in a five year infrastructure plan and continue to explore urgently the potential to improve the resilience of the fleet by sourcing additional vessels.”
“But we know we need to do more to address the current challenges facing our ferry network. As part of the forthcoming islands connectivity plan, we will set out a long-term investment programme for vessels and ports which the Project Neptune report calls for and islanders need to see.
“As part of this, we will consider any and all proposals which may benefit Scotland’s ferry network, including all appropriate vessel designs which can enhance or improve connections across the Scottish lifeline ferry networks. For example, for the Dunoon concept vessel design, various hull forms are being considered, including monohull, catamarans, and single and double-ended designs.
“The Transport Minister would be happy to meet with the Clyde Catermaran Group to hear more about these proposals.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said in response to the new concerns added: "Any procurement of new vessels would need to be undertaken in line with relevant legislation and process, with local authorities responsible for the procurement of their own vessels appropriately."
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