You Could Not Make It Up - The Scottish Ferries Fiasco As HIE Enters The Fray
6th November 2022
From time to time the problems with two new ferries being built to service the west coast islands appears in the news.
Now Highlands and Islands Enterprise has stepped into the fray to give a grant of £15,000 to The Mull and Iona Ferry Committee (MIFC) to undertake a feasibility study looking at alternative ownership of ferries through a community company who want to take over. The cost of the two ferries at the Ferguson yard continues to spiral. The Scottish Government does not want to allow any form of privatisation. Yet those of who live in Caithness and Orkney know that the most efficient and cost effective ferry from Caithness to Orkney is run by Pentland Ferries that is a private company.
Here are links to the messy 6 year saga.
The Herald
Crazy - Scots Gov body contradicts FM by devoting public funds to ferry route privatisation plan
Wikipedia
Ferry fiasco
More Information
Caledonian MacBrayne fleet
Ferguson Marine
CalMac's ageing fleet
Ships of the Calmac Fleet
The two ferries delivery dates have continued to be delayed.
PHOTO
Glen Sannox at the yard in 2017
Photographer - Dave Souza
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