Scottish ministers have approved around £20 million in additional costs to complete three new ferries being built in Turkey for Islay and the Little Minch, with the final vessel now expected to be delivered during the second quarter of 2027, according to the Scottish Government.
The additional funding was confirmed by Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport Stephen Flynn in a letter to the Scottish Parliament’s Transport Committee dated 31 August. The money covers completion of MV Loch Indaal, MV Lochmor and MV Claymore, the three remaining vessels ordered from the Cemre shipyard in Türkiye.
Under the latest schedule, MV Loch Indaal is expected to be delivered by October 2026, subject to completion of final commissioning and certification. MV Lochmor is expected during the first quarter of 2027, while MV Claymore is scheduled for delivery during the second quarter of the year. Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited is continuing to press for all three vessels to be completed as early as practicable.
Flynn wrote: “Ministers have approved around £20 million of additional project costs to complete all three vessels and CMAL have agreed appropriate addendums to the commercial contracts, protecting public investment and maintaining the original vessel specifications.”
The Cabinet Secretary said ministers had remained in close contact with Transport Scotland and CMAL while arrangements for completing the vessels were being developed. The Scottish Government considers the agreements now in place appropriate for maintaining progress on construction while protecting the public investment already committed to the programme.
CMAL will retain ownership of the vessels throughout the remainder of the construction process and will continue to manage expenditure through to delivery. The organisation has staff based at the yard monitoring progress, supported by regular visits from senior management teams as work continues on the three ships.
Flynn said: “CMAL continue robust monitoring through their on-site staff, as well as regular visits by senior management teams.” He added that the full terms of the amended commercial arrangements and detailed costs could not be published because of commercial sensitivities.
The letter states: “Full details of the contract addendums, ongoing activities and incurred costs following detailed review cannot be shared due to commercial sensitivities but CMAL will retain control of the vessel ownership and actively manage costs for the remainder of the build process up to and including delivery, prior to repositioning voyages.”
The three ships form part of the programme to introduce new vessels serving Islay and Little Minch routes. The latest update establishes the planned delivery sequence for the remaining ships and confirms that their original specifications are being retained under the amended agreements with the yard.
MV Loch Indaal is therefore due to be the next vessel delivered, provided its remaining commissioning and certification work is completed, followed by MV Lochmor and then MV Claymore during the first half of 2027.
Blame the Turkish Government.
Hilarious 😂
What was funny?
Compared to the Ferguson Ferries this remains a blinding deal.
Glass, bottle……bottle, glass 😂
Like their secrecy when it suits them the SNP. All quiet on the calls for transparency here lol
But remember it’s all Westminsters fault.
Someone should be asking some very serious questions about these contracts (especially the 2nd in 2023) and the due diligence process used before were awardec.
CMAL took ownership back in June after paying the final £23 million instalment of the £200 million contract which was actually supposed to be paid upon the final delivery. That was done because an Earthquake in 2023 disrupted the Build Yard, delayed delivery and caused CERME to have major financial issues.
Problem is 90% of the instalments have been made, CMAL desperately need the ships so the Scottish Government paid the final £23 million instalment to secure ownership (creditors can’t claim the ships as CEMRE Assets if they enter insolvency).
It’s called being over a barrel so they have agreed to make an additional payment to get the ships finished and delivered. Just for once I have to say those 3 steps are not an SNP stupid move given the circumstances,
Do nothing and lose the ships and £180 million and then have reorder the ships for another £250 million and wait 4 years or more.
What someone should be doing is making an FOI for the due diligence process CMAL followed before awarding either contracts ? Any investigative journalists out there ?🤔
You should try and FOI it.
Yiu will be rebuffed as: commercially confidential.
I do t think that will wash long term as once the ferries are delivered then there is nothing to hide.
But do remember OSA was always jokingly called The e Secrets Act as it was to protect the officials and not the secrets….