SNP ministers have been told to draw up a ports strategy for Scotland amid concerns over the ownership of key maritime assets.

Alba deputy leader, Kenny MacAskill, has told the SNP and Greens to stop squabbling over the UK Government’s freeport proposals and focus on taking leadership of a strategy.

Mr MacAskill has insisted that more Scottish Government leadership could open the door for new freight and passenger routes from Scottish ports and end a reliance on Scottish goods needing to be sent to Heathow and Dover to be shipped overseas.

Earlier this week, the SNP and Greens were embroiled in a row over support for the UK Government’s freeports – with two zones, which will be designed to encourage economic growth by exempting goods arriving in them from tax and customs charges, now earmarked for Scotland.

Forth Ports has announced it is keen to bring forward proposals for the freeports plans.

The Forth plans would include key ports, industrial complexes and logistics centres along the north and south shores of the Firth of Forth and at Edinburgh Airport.

But Mr MacAskill has called for an end to the “spat” between the Scottish Government partnership over freeports and “address the ownership and how we operate the ports on the Forth and the Clyde”.

Alba is highlighting the principal ports on the Forth and Clyde are owned by interests outwith Scotland, where the operators busiest harbours are on the Thames and Mersey.

Since 2018 Forth Ports have been owned by the Public Sector Investment Board, a Canadian Crown Corporation looking after the pension investments of Canadian workers.

Since 2003, Clydeport has been owned by Peel Ports PLC who are part of Peel Properties – one of the largest property investment companies in the UK and based in Manchester.  

As well as owning harbours, including the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company which operates the Port of Liverpool, Peel Ports have an extensive property portfolio including John Lennon Airport in Liverpool and the Manchester Ship Canal.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr MacAskill said: “Ports are a fundamental asset – they are vital. As well as trains, as well as haulage, as well as aviation, we also have to have port infrastructure.

“The UK has taken the view that ports are basically private operations, which is not historically the case, and not the case with the ones owned by Calmac. But the major ports on the Forth and the Clyde are owned by private investors and that cannot be healthy for Scotland’s economy.”

The East Lothian MP stressed that his party is “not suggesting nationalisation”, adding that the Scottish Government must “take an interest in maritime matters”.

He added: “It is not being dealt with by Transport Scotland, it’s not being dealt with by CMal or Calmac. We require maritime to have a dedicated unit, as with Maritime Ireland, to deliver a maritime policy for Scotland.

“That unit would be there to expand direct services for freight and passengers, to expand cruise liner potential, to grow our on-land economy but also to have a strategic oversight on ports.

“At the present moment, there is no regulation by the Government of the charges made. That’s why we are calling for public port authorities to be established on the Forth and Clyde. They should have a public interest to be able to direct that.”

Mr MacAskill stressed “there is a market for direct trade from Scotland – especially with perishable food”.

He said: “If we open a freight and passenger service, we would pretty soon find it will fill up.

“The economics have changed – the economics of road freight being cheap. The likelihood is we’re not going back to cheap fuel in the near-term. There are issues over marine diesel but it’s probably still significantly cheaper to ship than it is to move goods by lorry.”

Alba Westminster leader Neale Hanvey said that there has been “a lack of strategic thinking” from SNP ministers in terms of ports and the maritime economy.

He added: “There is no strategic maritime strategy from the Scottish Government, there is no strategic approach that’s pulling together all of the interested parties that’s coming up with a bid that’s actually going to deliver the best result for Scotland.

“That’s deeply troubling when you add that together with the concerns over CMal, the concerns about ferry line reintroduction and he reinstatement of the genesis of these ports and no strategic direction or leadership.

“If ports are successful, they will continue to be successful whether we’re in an independent Scotland or not.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government actively supports the development of Scotland’s ports.

“Business Minister Ivan McKee chairs a monthly working group with port operators and other stakeholders which is driving efforts to increase direct shipments – including potential new ferry services linking Scotland to Europe - so that Scottish exporters have more resilient routes to market."