Chamber and committees

CMAL will only accept the vessels if they are fit for purpose. The vessel will not be able to enter service until it has received all clearances required by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Class society approval from Lloyds Register.

The contract for MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802 confirms a deadweight of 878 tonnes, speed of 16.5 knots and fuel consumption of 7770 kilojoule per kilowatt-hour for liquefied natural gas and 196 grams per kilowatt-hour for marine gas oil.

CMAL previously advised that achieving the deadweight as per the contract was a risk. However Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow now has a better weight prediction for the vessels. Speed prediction was measured at model tests and sea trials are planned for April 2023. Fuel consumption was measured at the engine factory acceptance test and according to specification.

An interim inclining test of MV Glen Sannox is planned for late January 2023, with the full inclining test and sea trials scheduled for April 2023. Inclining tests for hull 802 will take place in 2023 with sea trials scheduled for early 2024. The test results are part of the handover documentation to verify compliance.

Due to issues with global supply chains Ministers are advised the process may take of the order of 36 weeks.

Ministers are seeking urgent options on the next steps and expect all possible measures to be taken to deliver the vessel to serve islanders as soon as possible.

Officials will continue to engage with Ferguson Marine as they assess the full impact of this with partners, including any financial implications which Ferguson Marine will share with both the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament once this has been confirmed. This engagement is ongoing.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12136 on
‎ 24 November 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Two Scottish cities are currently twinned with Ukraine. Our respective capital cities Edinburgh and Kyiv, have been twinned since 1989, and Newport-on-Tay entered into a twinning relationship with Zolotarevo in 2002. Twinning enables local communities to formalise friendships, create cultural and educational bonds as well as work on shared local issues.

COSLA is the twinning coordinator for local authorities in Scotland. The Scottish Government encourages any Local Authority, seeking to establish a twinning relationship with Ukraine to discuss this further with COSLA. I have previously met COSLA and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, to discuss my support for their twinning relationship and to explore how further Scottish Local Authorities can support Ukraine.

Transport Scotland has no plans to establish a freight-only service. We understand that there are commercial operators who have considered such a proposal and it would be for them to consider further. Were a commercial operator to provide any specific proposal for the route, then future deployment and timetables would be reviewed for the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Service Islay route.

The Scottish Government meets with the whisky sector regularly to discuss current issues. We recognise the important contribution that Scotch Whisky industry makes to the Scottish economy.

Scottish Ministers are investing in the Islay route with the construction of two purpose-built vessels underway, providing a combined 40% increase in vehicle and freight capacity on the Islay routes.

The Scottish Government is very supportive of the reintroduction of a passenger ferry service from Scotland to Europe. My officials in Transport Scotland have engaged with a number of interested parties proposing such services and we will continue to engage with potential operators and Scotland’s main ports to provide information and advice on what the Scottish Government can offer in support of a viable commercial ferry proposition.

The commerciality and viability of any new service are key considerations for both the Scottish Government and potential operators. Subsidy Control rules limit the support which can be provided by the Scottish Government and the support which we are able to bring to bear is designed to support the initial start-up of a new service and dependent on a realistic prospect of that service reaching commercial viability and without the need for ongoing support from public funds.

Ministers and officials have chaired regular stakeholder engagement sessions with key port stakeholder as well as freight forwarders and logistics companies. The aim is to explore how goods currently get to market, and why hauliers choose these routes, and understand the opportunities for Scottish ports and their degree of attractiveness to freight forwarders responsible for shipping Scottish goods. Any viable passenger ferry service would require regular freight traffic to be sustainable.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12129 on
‎ 22 November 2022. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at : https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers