Ferguson Marine wins contract to build parts for Royal Navy warship

The immediate future of the state-owned Ferguson shipyard has been secured following the award of a contract to manufacture components for a Royal Navy frigate.

Ferguson Marine has signed a contract with BAE Systems to fabricate three structural components for HMS Birmingham, part of an eight-vessel programme currently being built on the Clyde.

Ferguson Marine is currently finishing the second of two behind-schedule and overbudget ferries for CalMac after the yard was saved from closure by the Scottish Government.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This contract award is a positive demonstration of the shipyard’s capabilities, skills and ability to win work in a commercial playing field, and most importantly, the workers at Ferguson Marine.

“The Scottish Government’s decision to take Ferguson Marine into public ownership saved the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde and we continue to ensure the long-term future of the Yard and the workforce, with investment of up to £14.2 million in the yard over the next two years in order to help it modernise and secure further future business.”

Scottish Labour’s Daniel Johnson welcomed news of the new contract but accused the Scottish Government of “hypocrisy” due to its stance not to award public money for the manufacture of munitions.

He said: “SNP ministers have a habit of rushing down to Port Glasgow for a photo-op but any crowing from them about this would be the height of hypocrisy. 

 “Their student union politics on defence has put good, skilled jobs at risk in Scotland. But as we saw last month, if the SNP won’t step up to support skills and jobs in Scotland, then Labour will.”

Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine MP added: “Despite the Scottish Government’s cock-ups, Ferguson Marine has a highly skilled workforce and I hope that they can benefit from the increase in defence spending that the Liberal Democrats and others have been arguing for.

“Perhaps now is also the time for SNP ministers to reconsider their confused stance on matters of national security and support for the defence industry in Scotland. As the UK builds up its defences after years of Conservative neglect, there will be opportunities for Scottish firms and Scottish workers.”

Last week, a cross-party group of MSPs called for urgent funding to safeguard the shipyard. A report from Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee highlighted multiple and repeated failings, including leadership and board instability, inadequate internal audit, serious weaknesses in contractor oversight and governance failures around exit packages for senior staff.