Ferguson Marine to cut 70 jobs as work on MV Glen Rosa nears completion

The shipyard in Port Glasgow says it expects 70 staff members to go as it opens a voluntary redundancy scheme due to the “inevitable gap in workload”.

Ferguson Marine currently employs 283 members of staff, including 34 apprentices. It is understood those taking voluntary redundancy will receive £10,000 on top of their statutory redundancy entitlements.

Graeme Thomson, CEO of Ferguson Marine, said: “Our immediate focus remains the safe, high-quality handover of Glen Rosa in Q4 2026.

“However, as the vessel nears completion, we face an inevitable gap in workload while we work with the Scottish Government to make the relevant preparations to enable us to proceed with contract negotiations.

Get our revamped Steamie newsletter

“Shipbuilding capability relies on continuity and while changes of this nature are difficult, taking proactive action now ensures we protect the long-term viability of the yard and remain lean, modern and ready to cut steel on the new fleet as quickly as possible.”

Once work on the MV Glen Rosa is completed, the shipyard is due to begin work on building four smaller vessels as part of the government’s small vessels replacement programme. This includes two small CalMac ferries, a fisheries research ship and a marine protection vessel.

The shipyard says the redundancies will have “no impact” on finishing the delayed MV Glen Rosa.

Mr Thomson added: “We take our responsibility to our workforce and community incredibly seriously.

“By offering a voluntary redundancy path, we want to support team members who have given so much to shipbuilding on the Clyde as they consider their next steps.

“At the same time, we are doing everything in our power to ensure the yard is structured to offer secure, long-term careers once the new build programme gets underway.”

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn said the redundancy programme will help modernise the yard and put it on a more competitive footing.

He said: “The action that the leadership team at Ferguson Marine is taking today is necessary to help secure a viable future for the yard, and that of commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde.

“This is alongside their efforts to upskill workers, bid for new contracts and opportunities with partners.

“I am assured that a reduced workforce will not impact the build of the MV Glen Rosa, which is on track to be delivered in quarter four 2026.

“Our intention to directly award four vessels continues to undergo full due diligence further to next steps which will be announced to parliament in due course.”

However, Louise Gilmour, Scottish secretary of the GMB union, says ministers have failed to deliver new contracts for Ferguson Marine while sending work overseas instead.

She said: “Fergusons was once Scotland’s ferry factory with a worldwide reputation for excellence and should be again.

“Instead, skilled and experienced shipbuilders are being encouraged to leave as those in charge send contracts everywhere but here.

“The lack of support, ambition and industrial strategy is abject.”

She said there has been a “long-standing failure” to open up work at the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde beyond the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa.

Ms Gilmour added: “Its reputation has been battered for 10 years because of two calamitous contracts decided and driven by those in charge of our ferry network.

“Their hubris and incompetence have failed a blameless workforce that deserves the chance to turn the page.”

Two years ago Ferguson Marine missed out on an order for seven small CalMac ships. CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd) awarded the deal to a cheaper Polish shipyard instead. The Society of Maritime Industries says foreign yards are able to undercut UK-based yards by up to 20 per cent due to cheaper Labour and better state support.

Last summer Mr Thomson called for the contract to replace the MV Lord of the Isles to be directly awarded to Feguson Marine, saying it would be “very difficult” to sustain workforce numbers without this work.

However this was rejected by ministers and put out to tender earlier this year. Ferguson Marine was unable to bid for the work because CMAL set pre-qualification criteria which no UK commercial shipbuilder is capable of fulfilling.

The winning bidder for this contract is due to be announced early next year.

Bosses at Ferguson Marine have repeatedly called for “social value” to be taken into account when awarding shipbuilding contracts, but CMAL claims it cannot do this due to Scotland’s pre-Brexit procurement rules requiring all bidders be treated equally.

Martin McCluskey, the Scottish Labour MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, said the UK “cannot afford to lose any shipbuilding capacity”.

He said: “The Scottish Government promised work for the yard when they wanted people’s votes at the election and we are still waiting.

“Trade unions and workers have been calling for ferry contracts for years.

“It should never have come to this point, with skilled workers facing redundancy while the Scottish Government continues to deliberate over orders it has already said it wants to place with the yard. It is economic vandalism of the highest order.”

He added: “This is a local jobs crisis. The Scottish Government needs to step up, move faster and do everything within its power to secure the future of Ferguson Marine and the skilled jobs that depend on it."

Tim Eagle MSP, the Scottish Conservatives’ transport spokesman, said: “This is a hammer blow for dozens of employees at this SNP-run yard and will have a major impact on the local economy too.

“SNP ministers have spent years boasting about how they have protected jobs at Ferguson Marine, only to now oversee redundancies after all.

“Their staggering incompetence has resulted in hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money being spent on lifeline ferries that ended up being years behind schedule which did untold damage to the reputation of Ferguson Marine.”

Mr Eagle said the economy secretary must “urgently outline the SNP’s future plans” for the shipyard.