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Chamber and committees

Dry Docking on the Lower Clyde

  • Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour.
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2020
  • Motion reference: S5M-23429

That the Parliament recognises the importance of Scotland's shipbuilding and marine engineering heritage; welcomes the financial support provided to the industry by the Scottish Government; recognises the efforts of the Scottish Government in securing the future of Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow and its highly skilled workforce; notes that Ferguson Marine is the last shipbuilding company on the Lower Clyde and is an innovator in the marine industry, having designed and built a new generation of environmentally friendly ferries, including the world’s first hybrid ferry, MV Hallaig, launched in December 2012, and is currently engaged in the construction of a new class of liquefied natural gas ferries and is developing the world’s first renewables-powered hydrogen car and passenger ferry, MV HySeas III, for Orkney Islands Council; considers that further diversification into other markets such as ship repair and annual ship overhaul and maintenance contracts will be required in order for Ferguson Marine and the industry in Scotland to remain competitive and secure the future of the shipyard; considers that the shipbuilding industry on the Lower Clyde makes a substantial contribution to the local economy of Inverclyde, the regional economy of the west of Scotland and wider supply chains; further considers that Ferguson Marine would require dry docking facilities on the Lower Clyde, which it does not currently possess, in order to realise its full potential, and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to explore all avenues at its disposal in order to secure dry docking facilities for what it considers this innovative world leading shipbuilder to safeguard the future of the shipyard and retain and expand what it sees as this much-needed skilled workforce on the Lower Clyde, enhancing Scotland’s reputation as a shipbuilding nation.


Supported by: Claudia Beamish, Iain Gray, Colin Smyth