Ferguson Marine is setting its sights on expanding its participation in the UK’s Type 26 frigate programme.
At a Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee meeting held on October 24, 2023, David Tydeman, CEO of Ferguson Marine, outlined the shipyard’s strategic goals and addressed concerns regarding current projects and future work prospects.
We previously reported that shipyards, including Ferguson Marine, had been contracted for steelwork fabrication to support the delivery of the Type 26 programme.
This engagement has been part of a broader initiative to create work opportunities across British shipyards. Reflecting on this, Mark Ruskell of the committee inquired about the business impact of past difficulties with specific ferries and whether Ferguson Marine anticipated an influx of work consistent with its current frigate projects.
Tydeman clarified the company’s strategic positioning, “We chose deliberately to position for the work for the frigates… However, frankly, until very recently, all the workforce was fully occupied on the ferries.”
Tydeman also responded to Ruskell’s query on potential reputational harm due to past project difficulties, noting the importance of securing confidence from industry leaders like BAE:
“The constant media coverage has been difficult. Certainly, getting BAE to place work with us is a morale boost and an indication that it trusts us. We need more of that.”
In a related exchange, Jim Fairlie inquired about the BAE contract’s duration and employment impact.
Tydeman responded by advising that the firm will be continuing to tender for BAE work.
On May 19th, a tender was issued by BAE that further highlighted the ongoing efforts to involve British shipyards in the Type 26 programme. The tender signalled plans to award a £500,000 contract for sea transport of blocks and units associated with the programme, expected to begin in October 2023 and continue until May 2024.
The details of the tender emphasised the need for specialised transportation due to the size and weight of the fabricated steelwork.
BAE Systems had also confirmed this collaborative approach when I spoke to them:
“We have outsourced steelwork fabrication for a limited number of units to support delivery of the Type 26 programme… Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd have been contracted to supply a total of seven units… The tender will also give us competitive pricing detail for any future shipping transportation contracts required to support the programme, and ensure we continue to deliver value for money.“
Whilst the ferries needed for Scottish island routes remain unfinished???
In one of her last acts before the police interviewed her about SNP fraud, Sturgeon ordered more ferries from Turkey. At twice the cost that a British yard could have built them.
Yeah, SNP types have a serious nerve to accuse Westminster of not supporting Scottish shipbuilding!
Name the British yards.
Off the top of my head, docks and shipyards:-
1 A&P TEES LTD
2 A&P FALMOUTH LTD
3 DALES MARINE SERVICES
4 MMS SHIP REPAIR AND DRY DOCK
5 CAMMELL LAIRD SHIPREPAIRERS &SHIPBUILDERS LIMITED
6 DALES MARINE SERVICES LEITH
7 DUNSTON SHIP REPAIRS LTD
8 A&P TYNE LTD
9 BABCOCK Rosyth
10 DALES MARINE – TROON
11 Dales Marine United Kingdom
12 DALES MARINE -GREENOCK
13 UK DOCKS TEESSIDE
14 UK DOCKS TYNESIDE
14 UK DOCKS MASHFORDS
14 HARLAND & WOLFF HEAVY INDUSTRIES LIMITED
17 DALES GRANGEMOUTH SHIP REPAIRS LTD
18 UK DOCKS GOSPORT
19 FERGUSON Marine
20 SWANSEA DRYDOCKS LTD.
21 Trafalgar Shipyard
22 Penzance Drydock
How many of those have built a ferry this century?
Unnecessary and unpleasant!
A truly grown up response. What is the answer?
Thank you. Most of the mentioned are ship repairers not builders (I happen to live on Greenock and know that Darvel Marine don’t have shipbuilding facilities) So my answer to David Lloyd is, get your arse our of the sand before you post.
This guys just a troll keeps fallowing me through threads accusing me of s**t I do not say the telling me to stop writing in here.
Cochrane’s of Selby built at least two ferries for Scotland back in the eighties without any of the crap that is going on at the moment, however they did close down some time ago. The ships they built are still operating.
Appledore.
Off the top of your head….?
Crikey mate, that is some knowledge. You’re headed for “Trainspotter” status with lists like that! 😆
Actually it was substantially less. Four ferries in total for less.
Although I agree government work should go to uk yards first out of principal
This is the sort of help the Type 26 programme does not need.
What do we think the real ISD is for HMS Glasgow?
Anyone know for sure which type of anti-ship missile the Type 26 will be equipped with?
Nope…something that fits in a mk41 silo, but other than that,,,who knows other than if it’s ready and gets off the ground it will be the Anglo French FC/ASM ( spear5)..if that program fails or is very late we would likely see an interim missile that fitted into the silos, one possibility would be a limited buy block V tomahawk.
VL JSM would do the trick and could be used on Type 26 and Type 31(when it has Mk41 vls fitted), NSM meantime) until such time as the super duper Anglo french jobbie appears. IF it appears that is, otherwise, as as mentioned above, we could be looking at Block V Tomahawk
Blk V tomahawk would be great as it could provide an interim anti ship capability and a long range land attack capability. Even once FC/ASW is fully deployed TLAM would still be useful.
It will be FC/ASW in 2034,until then an interim Missile could be used like NSM.
Seems like the Aus and Canadian T26s will have cannisted 2*4 NSM on their back upper decks besides their 3/4* MK41s which frees these up for other things like SM/TLAM/LRASMs. The UK could do the same if need be and the room. They’ve all go to be watching each others shopping list for these MK41s! 😁
Before FC/ASW was announced all the old T26 models showed the same twin quad launchers on the upper deck.
I do not think so.
FC/ASW is being designed for T26 specifically. She might carry NSM as they will be transferable as well however my guess is the 11 sets orders is the exact number needed for 6 T45 and 5 T31 so that is where they will go.
Dear God NO, cammell Laird should have been awarded the contract
This thread appears to have been pruned.
Yep, definitely pruned. Someone used offensive language, unreasonably, resulting on the remaining part of the thread being deleted, wrong, IMHO. BUt Hey=ho.
Good to see FMEL getting some steel fabrication work from BAE , transporting large units upriver to Govan should not be an issue , there are lots of barges and heavy lift cranes around that can be utilised for this , it’s not a new or difficult means of transport and would enable fabrication of fairly large units , possibly200 /300 tonnes.