Scotland’s historic Ferguson Marine Engineering has filed for administration after racking up losses on a job to build two LNG-fuelled ropaxes for state-run ferry company CalMac Ferries.
The 116-year-old shipyard, which was rescued from closure in 2014 by local businessman Jim McColl of Clyde Blowers Capital, has suffered cost overruns and huge delays to the construction of the two vessels.
But CalMac has refused to cover the extra $61m cost of building the ships, leaving the yard at risk of closure with the loss of 350 jobs.
Ferguson Marine originally netted the order from the ferry company's Caledonia Maritime Assets in 2015. At the time, it was a $97m ($150m) order for the two 102-metre-long, dual-fuelled ships.
The first newbuilding, Glen Sannox, with a capacity to carry 1,000 passengers and up to 127 cars, was launched in November 2017.
The two ferries were due for delivery last year and were the largest to be built on the River Clyde – once a hub for Scottish shipbuilding.
But Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has indicated that the Scottish government will continue to work to find a solution to the stalemate between CalMac and the yard with ministers saying public ownership of the yard is an option.
CalMac needs the vessels to renew its ageing fleet, which serves Scotland’s islands and west coast.
