Workforce fears Scots fiasco ferries won't ever sail

It comes as Ferguson Marine has admitted that an "oversight" meant that crucial vacuum sensors required for the green fuel system had been forgotten about since 2021 - two years after the Inverclyde-based yard firm was nationalised when the Jim McColl-led firm went into administration.

Nationalised Ferguson Marine confirmed that further issues with one of the two ferry fiasco vessels meant it will not initially run on LNG.

Both Glen Sannox and Hull 802 were hailed as a step towards a greener future for Scotland's state-owned CalMac ferry fleet as they were to be the first UK-built ships capable of running off LNG and marine gas oil.

LNG was seen as significantly cleaner and would help to reduce emissions to meet ambitious Scottish Government targets.

But both vessels remain languishing at Ferguson Marine's Inverclyde yard while the Scottish Government-controlled ferry owners Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) await the long-delayed delivery that has raised questions over whether they will ever emerge.

They were due online in the first half of 2018, with one initially to serve Arran and the other to serve the Skye triangle routes to North Uist and Harris, but are at least five years late, with costs soaring from £97m to nearly £350.

Notes of a meeting between MSPs and Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) staff have revealed that they are concerned about their delivery and whether the nationalised firm was fit to deliver future major contracts.

The note of an October meeting states: "Concerns were... expressed that there remains a risk that the vessels may not be considered fit for purpose once they are completed. The importance of senior managers facing up to these risks was highlighted during the meeting.

Staff said there was always something in the news about Ferguson Marine being a "failed shipyard" and it was explained that Glen Sannox was "a constant source of embarrassment".

It was said that staff don't tell people they even work for Ferguson Marine.

Concerns were also raised about possible further delays with the delivery of Glen Sannox. The note reveals there were concerns that some items that have been purchased for the vessels have been lying around the yard for a "considerable amount of time and may therefore be out of warranty".

It was also explained that the absence of an in-house design team meant that the nationalised ferry firm "would not have the capacity" to build two new ferries, the procurement process for which commenced in October 2022.

Highest level alert risks highlighted by Ferguson Marine to the project in the latest assessment in seen by the Herald include concerns that there is a "risk of a late change due to design errors".

"These errors may be mistake, missed scope or non-conformances to requirements/spec."

It also registers highest risks over the performance of site sub-contractors impacting the programme.

Also given the highest level of alert was concerns that LNG bunkering requires modifications as a risk assessment has not yet been undertaken.

The red alert system also highlights that there is a risk that items are delayed to the yard from the supplier due to "lack of resource to process"..."

It also adds: "There is a risk that the programme is impacted due to a lack of buy-in from the workforce to delivery the plan (Mature Workforce)."

There were also concerns over a non-compliant axilock - used to connect pipe lengths together with speed and ease without the need for gluing or fusion technology - that had "not been picked up as part of the review".

Key challenges including the installation of ship cables and pipework, delivery and completion of production drawings and accuracy of production drawings and availability of materials.

Also highlighted is the availability of experienced supervisors and a shortage of experienced tradesmen.

One worker told the Herald that there was brittle confidence over the vessels.

He said: "The new gaffer (chief executive David Tydeman) is very positive, but everywhere you look there are snagging issues here and a further problem there. I think it is unfair to say that there is no workforce buy-in and I don't understand why the age of the staff has anything whatsoever to do with it. They have had to deal with a lot of knocks since Jim McColl was here.

"We all want this to finally succeed, but while managers are trying to remain upbeat, on the ground things are tough to deal with ."

A failure to order sensors that are part of the fuel safety system that allows Glen Sannox to operate means that if and when it is brought into service it will not initially run on LNG.

It will be operating on a diesel, single fuel system for at least the first nine months of its service.

LNG was seen as significantly cleaner and would help to reduce emissions to meet ambitious Scottish Government targets.

The Deputy First Minister has said the Scottish Government was only notified about the issue on October 27 but that it may take 36 weeks to order the sensors.

In response to inquiries by Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain, it has emerged that sensors were noted as required in the P&ID (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram) in December 2021.

Asked at what date Ferguson Marine became aware that the bespoke vacuum sensors required for the LNG fuel system for vessel 801 were not held in stock by the shipyard, the yard management said it was in July, 2022 - three months before the Scottish Government were notified. At that point Ferguson Marine said the identified sensors were not ordered.

The nationalised yard further indicated that several stock checks undertaken during 2021 and 2022 found that they were not ordered.

"This was an oversite by (Ferguson Marine) due to the way the contract and scope of works split up the tasks across contractors and suppliers, and a failure of Ferguson Marine Engineering Department to follow through with procurement," said the nationalised shipyard firm.

Some of the blame has been placed with Tim Hair, the turnaround director brought in by the Scottish Government-controlled company who left after being paid nearly £1.3m for 454 days work.

Mr Mountain said: “I remember well when Tim Hair made a special effort of showing the rural economy and connectivity committee around the shipyard’s old warehouse where stock was being checked before being moved to a new warehouse, which was acquired at great expense.

“The fact these parts were not identified and ordered during his tenure shows the true depth of the delays that can be attributed to the turnaround director.

“This episode is a sad indictment of the SNP Government’s running of the shipyard following its nationalisation.

“The lid is still to be fully lifted on what went wrong at the shipyard both before and after it came into public ownership, which is exactly why I continue to call for a public inquiry into the ferries scandal.”

The latest CMAL analysis had previously warned that nationalised Ferguson Marine have not considered the "significant threats" posed by the continued risk of late installation of cables in a May risk register.

It said that consideration is only given to the reinstatement of nearly 17 miles of cables removed from Glen Sannox in February.

But it said "no consideration" was still not given to the main body of cable installation that extended ship-wide totalling 125 miles.

Completion rate of cables was at 26% against a target of 65%.

It said the same concerns extend to the threat posed by the time scale to manufacture and install remaining pipe parts needed to complete the essential systems of Glen Sannox.

One of a list of key challenges for the shipyard according to CMAL includes completion of pipework to meet commissioning dates.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government’s priorities have always been the completion of the two ferries, securing a future for the yard and its workforce, and supporting our island communities that rely on this type of vessel on a daily basis.

“Ministers expect all possible measures to be taken to deliver the vessels to serve islanders as soon as possible.”

Read more by Martin Williams

. Ferguson Marine: Chairman of troubled Prestwick Airport takes helm

. Jim McColl: FM should have known about ferry crisis five years ago

. Scot Gov finds £33m to fund NHS wage rises as cost of living gap soars