No decision has been taken by ministers on whether Ardrossan harbour will ever be used to sail two delayed and over-budget ferries, a Holyrood committee has heard.
The North Ayrshire harbour requires essential maintenance, including a costly berth realignment, to accommodate the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa which will serve the Arran route when their construction is completed by the under-fire Ferguson Marine shipyard.
The Glen Sannox is expected to be completed in the spring, with its sister vessel delayed until May 2025.
They will operate from Troon harbour until at least 2026 when the repairs at Ardrossan were initially expected to be completed.
Transport Secretary Mairi McAllan told the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee that ministers are still working to complete a business case review for the essential repair works.
The cost projections were initially expected to be completed by November 2022 but will now not be ready until February this year.
Ms McAllan said the “complexities” involved further discussions with funding partners – including North Ayrshire Council and Peel Ports – and their “levels of contribution” to the improvement works.
Scottish Conservative transport spokesman Graham Simpson asked whether ministers have considered the possibility that Ardrossan may not be used for the new ferries at all.
Ms McAllan responded: “Absolutely no decision has been taken on that. It would be wrong of me to pre-empt the work of the taskforce and the business case review.”
Mr Simpson said: “No decision, therefore it’s a possibility?”
Ms McAllan replied: “There’s no decision. That’s all I can say.”
Earlier in the session, Ms McAllan was asked if the remedial works at Ardrossan harbour had been accounted for in the 2024-25 Budget.
Committee convener Edward Mountain also highlighted the recent issues with the Irish berth at the harbour which shut to all marine traffic earlier this month.
The Tory MSP said: “Ardrossan harbour is obviously a problem area because the pier has collapsed and for the Glen Sannox and 802 (Glen Rosa) to use the harbour we need an LNG tank and an extension to the quay because it is too short.
“Is that all in the Budget and will it all be done during the course of this year before the Glen Sannox comes into service?”
Ms McAllan said: “I understand the need to progress and I understand the frustration of the communities, but on the other hand it’s absolutely essential that works of this size and importance are properly scoped and properly understood.”
Alison Irvine, chief executive of Transport Scotland, told the committee “sufficient funds” had been earmarked only for the “consideration of the business case” at Ardrossan.
Mr Mountain replied: “My mouth is just sort of recovering from dropping on to the table. I can’t believe we ordered these ferries in 2015… and we are 2024, a long way down the line, and we’re still talking about a business case for the improvements to the port where they will be used. I’m completely shell-shocked.”
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