A new fleet of ferries for Caledonian MacBrayne could be built using public-private funding that the Scottish Government is so vehemently opposed to in other areas.

PPP schemes are being increasingly seen as a way round the funding crisis over replacing the boats.

Six of CalMac’s 31 vessels are more than 30 years old; two of them 35 years old. Another eight are more than 20 years old.

A new Islay ferry being built in Poland will cost £24.5m. A programme is being pursued for the procurement of smaller boats, but the Islay vessel is the only big CalMac ferry to have been ordered in the past decade. As a publicly owned company, CalMac’s vessels have always been built using public money, whether from Edinburgh, London or Brussels.

This is true of the present fleet on the Clyde and Hebrides routes, although the night freight vessel that sails between Stornoway and Ullapool is leased from a private company.

When CalMac was split into several different companies in 2006, all its vessels and terminals were passed to Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL). Now the Scottish Government has published a management statement for CMAL that encourages the firm to pursue PPPs.

The statement reads: “Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited shall seek opportunities to enter into public/private partnerships where this would be more affordable and offer better value for money than conventional procurement.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government told The Herald that this provision had applied since CMAL was established in 2006 and largely visualised joint ventures with the private sector such as developing ferry terminals.

But when asked if it would apply to CMAL entering into a PPP to build vessels, he confirmed it would but stressed it was not a decision for the company alone.

He said: “CMAL can explore funding options,

however its preference must ultimately be approved by the Scottish Government, and we would have to be satisfied any proposal delivered value for money.”

Stephen Boyd, assistant general secretary of the Scottish Trade Unions Congress, said: “We know perfectly well that funding new vessels is going to be a huge problem, but we wouldn’t want any major decision on this front made before the European Commission has reported and the Scottish Government has concluded its ferries review.

“Proceeding with PPPs for ferries would be appear to be totally inconsistent with the Scottish Government’s policy in other areas where they are adamantly against PPPs.

“We would also be very concerned that if private sector players was involved in building ferries, it would be a short step for them to demand they be involved in operating them as well. That would raise major problems for us.”

A spokesman for CMAL said it was charged with the long-term maintenance, modernisation and replacement of vessels and harbours.

“As such the company has a responsibility to ensure these strategic objectives are met and has an obligation to engage with a range of potential funders and partners, both within and outwith government,” he said.