In a striking show of unity and urgency, political, civic, and community leaders across Inverclyde have banded together to demand that the Scottish Government directly award Ferguson Marine the vital contract to build the replacement for the MV Lord of the Isles ferry. The campaign, which has rapidly gained momentum since its launch on September 15, 2025, is rooted in both the economic realities facing the Port Glasgow shipyard and a deep sense of local pride in its storied history.
The open letter at the heart of this movement, organized by the GMB trade union, bears the signatures of a broad coalition: politicians from Labour, the SNP, and the Scottish Conservatives, the Bishop of Paisley, and prominent community figures such as Greenock Telegraph group editor Gillian Murphy. Their message to First Minister John Swinney is unequivocal: Ferguson Marine—Scotland’s last non-naval shipyard—deserves the chance to restore its reputation and secure its future by constructing the new CalMac ferry, known as the Lord of the Isles replacement, or Loti.
The campaign comes at a critical juncture for Ferguson Marine. The government-owned yard, which employs around 300 workers and apprentices in an area beset by high deprivation and recent job losses, is nearing completion of the long-overdue and over-budget Glen Rosa ferry. Scheduled for handover in the second quarter of 2026, the Glen Rosa and its sister ship, the Glen Sannox, have been plagued by delays and spiraling costs—originally budgeted at £97 million, the price tag for the two vessels is believed to have quadrupled. Despite these setbacks, campaigners insist the workforce is blameless, a view echoed repeatedly in the open letter and by union leaders.
“The direct award of the contract to replace one of Scotland’s most famous ferries will help secure the future of Ferguson Marine and allow it to rebuild after a bruising decade,” the letter reads, as reported by The Herald. “Those workers only want to restore their yard’s former reputation for excellence and deserve that opportunity.”
The campaign’s supporters point to the yard’s remarkable legacy: since its founding in 1903, Ferguson Marine has built more than 380 ships, including about a third of CalMac’s current fleet and six of the ten largest CalMac vessels. Until recently, its history was “one of achievement,” the letter notes, and it has been “a foundation stone of the Inverclyde economy, creating and sustaining high-quality jobs and apprenticeships for generations.”
The issue, however, is not just one of heritage or sentiment. The economic stakes for Inverclyde are high. In the past 18 months alone, the area has lost another 1,200 jobs as major employers closed or relocated, according to BBC News. The relentless uncertainty surrounding Ferguson Marine’s future, campaigners argue, is corrosive to the community and could be dispelled by the swift, direct award of the Loti contract.
Louise Gilmour, general secretary of GMB Scotland, has been a vocal advocate for the yard’s workforce. “Ferguson’s is more than a shipyard. Families and communities have been built in that yard, not just ships,” she told the Greenock Telegraph. “Despite the relentless focus on the yard over the last decade, there remains huge pride in its past and belief in its future across Inverclyde.” Gilmour insists that “these contracts cannot be decided on price alone when foreign bids are underpinned by low wages and big tax breaks. The huge social and economic value of shipbuilding to the communities of Inverclyde and Ferguson Marine have not been properly valued in previous tenders.”
The campaign’s call for a direct award is not without its complications. The Scottish Government, led by First Minister John Swinney and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, has so far resisted such moves, citing concerns over procurement and state aid regulations. They worry that bypassing open competition could leave the government vulnerable to legal challenge. A Transport Scotland spokesperson reiterated this position, stating, “Shipbuilding is a competitive global market and any direct award of a public contract must comply with applicable procurement and subsidy control rules and be capable of withstanding legal challenge. Ministers consider vessel contracts at an appropriate time on a case-by-case basis, including the Lord of the Isles, to determine an appropriate and lawful route to market and also review potential community benefits.”
Under current rules, direct awards are only possible in strictly limited circumstances. The government is “currently considering the business case and next steps in relation to the replacement for the MV Lord of The Isles and will confirm these in due course,” according to Transport Scotland.
Ferguson Marine’s new chief executive, Graeme Thomson, has warned that without the Loti contract, the yard would “struggle” to remain viable. This concern is underscored by Ferguson’s failure earlier in 2025 to secure a contract for seven small electric CalMac ferries, which was awarded to Poland’s Remontowa shipyard due to lower pricing, despite Ferguson’s bid scoring well on quality. The loss of this £175 million contract has left Ferguson Marine with no further ship orders beyond the Glen Rosa, although it has picked up some subcontracting work on Royal Navy frigates in Glasgow.
Community leaders and politicians argue that the procurement process should better account for the social and economic impact of such contracts, especially in regions like Inverclyde. CMAL, the government-owned ferries agency, has admitted it judged recent bids solely on cost and quality, without factoring in “social value.” This omission, campaigners say, puts UK shipyards at a disadvantage against overseas rivals who benefit from lower labor costs and generous state subsidies.
Stuart McMillan, SNP MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, summed up the prevailing sentiment: “A direct award of the Lord of the Isles replacement is important in helping deliver a yard that can be sustainable and to regain its positive reputation. The yard needs a pipeline of work and there are still many commercial shipbuilding opportunities that exist, in addition to naval contracts, which the yard can also win more work from. The yard has delivered in the past and can deliver again.”
Council leader Stephen McCabe echoed this, emphasizing the risk to the local economy if Ferguson Marine were to close: “We simply cannot afford to lose any more skilled jobs. The Scottish Government, as owners of the yard, must secure its immediate future through a direct award and provide the investment needed to ensure Fergusons can compete successfully for further contracts.”
The campaign has also launched a public petition, seeking to rally broader support for a new partnership between Ferguson Marine and the publicly-owned ferry company to produce a steady stream of small ferries, ensuring reliable service for island communities and value for taxpayers.
As the debate continues, the future of Ferguson Marine—and by extension, the economic and social fabric of Inverclyde—hangs in the balance. The coming months will reveal whether the Scottish Government can find a lawful path to securing the shipyard’s future, or if the last commercial shipbuilder on the Clyde will be left to navigate these turbulent waters alone.
