Should the state-owned Scottish shipyard have been ruled out of this lucrative contract to replace a vessel it built in 1989?

Business Editor Ian McConnell takes a look at the latest ferry storm.

It was certainly disappointing to learn that the procurement criteria for the replacement for Caledonian MacBrayne’s well-kent MV Lord of the Isles ferry effectively prevent Ferguson Marine from bidding for the contract.

There had been a bit of chatter – and not a small amount of hope - over quite a long period that there might be a direct award of the contract to build this vessel to the Port Glasgow yard.

Sadly, when details emerged last week about the procurement process for the new vessel, it was essentially the opposite scenario.

Not only would there be no direct award but one particular stipulation of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited - which procures vessels for Caledonian MacBrayne and like the ferry operator and Ferguson Marine is owned by the Scottish Government - means the Port Glasgow yard cannot even be in the running.

The specific sticking point for Ferguson Marine is the CMAL requirement that bidders must have delivered at least two vessels longer than 75 metres in the last five years, not including ongoing projects.

Ferguson Marine has delivered the MV Glen Sannox for CalMac’s Arran route within this timeframe, albeit years late and greatly over budget.

However, delays to the delivery of the MV Glen Rosa, also for the Arran route, mean that the Port Glasgow yard does not meet the CMAL criterion. The Glen Rosa, for which the latest delay was announced last December, is now expected to be delivered in the final quarter of this year.

It was easy to understand the GMB trade union’s apparent exasperation last week when news of CMAL’s specifications for bidders - and the impact of these in ruling out Ferguson Marine - emerged.

GMB Scotland declared the refusal to........

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