The nationalised Ferguson shipyard has missed out on a crucial order for seven small all-electric ferries for west coast operator Caledonian MacBrayne.
Ferries procurement agency CMAL has instead named a Polish firm, Remontowa, as preferred bidder for the Small Vessels Replacement Programme (SVRP).
Ferguson’s, the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde, had vowed to bid “aggressively” for the contract and had made it onto a shortlist of six bidders.
The new “loch-class” vessels are due to start joining the CalMac fleet from 2027 onwards.
The contract was a key part of Ferguson’s five-year recovery strategy following delays and cost overruns in the construction of two much larger ferries for CalMac.
The 50m (164ft) all-electric ferries are similar to ones it has delivered successfully in the past and could have given it a pipeline of repeatable work lasting several years.
But the Port Glasgow shipyard is also pursuing other business opportunities, including defence sub-contracting work from BAE Systems and private sector work.
Remontowa, based in Gdansk, has previously built the CalMac ferries MV Argyle, MV Bute and MV Finlaggan, and was runner up to Ferguson’s when the contracts for MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa were awarded in 2015.
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