The Scottish Government has announced an intention to directly award Ferguson Marine a set of contracts to build four vessels – generating a guaranteed five-year pipeline of work and both protecting hundreds of jobs on the Clyde and support the shipyard’s wider plans for modernisation.
Part of the proposed award will see the design and build of a whole-new class of Marine Protection Vessel (MPV) and Marine Research Vessel (MRV) for Marine Scotland to replace MPV ‘Minna’ and MRV ‘Scotia’, which were originally built by Ferguson Marine and are now nearing the end of their service lives.
An additional set of two CalMac passenger ferries will also be built for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) as part of the second phase of the Scottish Government’s Small Vessel Replacement Programme.
Duncan Anderson, Chair of Ferguson Marine, said:This direct award does more than just help with our order book; it underpins our future, improves our resilience and confirms our strategic importance to the country.
The Scottish Government’s intention to award us four new vessels marks the beginning of a new chapter for Ferguson Marine, securing our enduring legacy and ensuring we progress toward being a leader in the industry in years to come.
We look forward to collaborating and strengthening our relationships with the Scottish Government, CMAL, CalMac, Marine Scotland and beyond as we work together to determine a robust plan for delivery.
Currently; Ferguson Marine is focused on the completion of MV Glen Rosa, ongoing work with BAE Systems on the Type 26 frigate programme, and delivery of a transformation project that will modernise the shipyard.
