THE Herald's investigation into Scotland's ferry services dominated the business news this week.

A Ferry master with decades of experience sailing on the west coast has hit out at the management of the lifeline service and the “inadequacy” of Scotland’s current quayside infrastructure. As pressure mounts on the islands for action to improve the performance and reliability of Scotland’s vital ferry network, a senior captain has marked his retirement with a savage attack on operator CalMac and the failings of harbour infrastructure policy presided over by CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets).

In the Monday interview, the outgoing IoD chief in Scotland slams direction of UK politics.

David Watt will shortly vacate his role at the head of the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Scotland after 16 rewarding years.

Midweek, it was revealed that two nine-figure deals with investors from overseas have helped investment in Edinburgh offices outstrip last year’s annual total in just six months.

A flurry of significant deals in the second quarter including the £120 million sale of the Standard Life Aberdeen building in St Andrew Square helped push up the total, according to analysis from Knight Frank.


On Thursday it was reported that a £500m oil and gas deal had reflected confidence in the North Sea.

Investors from the Middle East and Norway are buying a £500 million UK North Sea oil and gas portfolio from Total in a deal that provides a huge vote of confidence in the prospects of the area. Oman-based conglomerate MB Holding and Norway-based private equity investor HitecVision have clinched a deal to buy stakes in a range of fields off North East Scotland from Total for $635m (£508m).