Ferguson Marine Plans 150 Job Redundancies as Ferry Construction Nears Completion
Ferguson Marine, the Scottish government-owned shipyard in Port Glasgow, has announced plans to make 150 staff redundant. This reduction, representing a quarter of its workforce, comes as construction on the second of two long-delayed CalMac ferries, the MV Glen Rosa, approaches completion. The vessel is currently undergoing final preparations for its sea trials.
The yard was nationalised in 2019 following a contentious dispute with its former owner, Jim McColl, over significant cost overruns and protracted delays on the two lifeline ferries. The first vessel, the MV Glen Sannox, was delivered to CalMac in March, more than six years behind schedule and substantially over its initial budget.
David Tydeman, Ferguson Marine's chief executive, confirmed the company is now consulting on the proposed job losses. He stated that the redundancies are a direct consequence of the winding down of the current ferry construction programme. The yard's future relies on securing new contracts, which are yet to materialise. The Scottish government, through Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), controls procurement for new ferries, but these opportunities remain unconfirmed. This situation underscores the precarious nature of employment within the yard, which has been a recurring theme since its state acquisition.
