Ferguson shipyard to cut a quarter of its workforce

Scotland's state-owned shipyard is to cut nearly a quarter of its total workforce while it waits for confirmation of promised new orders.

Workers at Ferguson Marine have been invited to apply for voluntary redundancy as construction draws to a close on the second of two long-delayed CalMac ferries.

The Port Glasgow firm currently employs 283 staff, including 34 apprentices - but says it expects to shed 70 posts through a voluntary redundancy process.

The Scottish government has promised to directly award the yard new orders for four smaller ships, but ministers say they are still conducting "due diligence" on the plan.

Ferguson Marine is the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde.

It was nationalised in 2019 after a long dispute between its former owner and government-owned ferries agency Caledonian Marititime Assets Ltd (CMAL) over claims for extra costs for two dual-fuel CalMac ferries.

The first, MV Glen Sannox, was finally delivered in November 2024, while MV Glen Rosa is due for completion by the end of this year.

The shipyard recently completed sub-contracting work for BAE Systems for new Type 26 frigates and currently has no confirmed future orders.