Who runs CMAL? Well, not civil servants.

The company’s leaders come, largely, from the private sector and have experience in both ships and ports.

Chief executive Kevin Hobbs has run the business since 2016 after a background managing a major port – the giant Milford Haven terminal in Wales – but his bio stresses he has experience managing vessels too.

Chairman Erik Østergaard has been in post since CMAL split from CML back in 2006. He is a Danish shipping and transport veteran.

CMAL's director of vessels, Jim Anderson, is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and worked in senior management roles for shipbuilders, ship owners and design consultants.

The company's finance director, Gillian Bruton, is an accountant who cut her teeth at PwC before serving in a senior role at Polaroid. Her job is shared with another major state-owned transport company, Highlands and Islands Airport, HIAL.

Ramsay Muirhead is CMAL's head of port infrastructure and planning. He is newly appointed to this post after 10 years at the company maintaining its harbours.

CMAL also has three non-executive directors.

Morag McNeil is a corporate lawyer whose past includes a spell as counsel to Forth Ports, one of Scotland's biggest harbour firms.

Paul Croucher is a banker who has served in senior posts at several financial institutions and currently represents shareholders on the board of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

Lastly Graeme Woods is a marine engineer with 35 years' experience in managing vessels and oil and gas operations as well as companies ranging from family firms to multinationals.