State-owned ferry firm spent almost £1million to send staff to Turkey to oversee vessel construction
Scotland's state-owned ferry companies have splashed more than £1million on sending staff to Turkey to check on the building of new CalMac vessels.
The Scottish Conservatives, who uncovered the spending, said the ‘on site support’ costs appeared ‘excessive’.
The money went on flights, accommodation, meals, car hire and pay.
CalMac, which operates the West Coast ferry service, and CMAL, which procures the boats for it, spent £845,981 and £170,181 respectively between 2022 and this summer.
After the scandal over the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ferries – years late and whose combined cost is now put at £460m – at the Ferguson Marine yard on the Clyde, the Cemre shipyard in Turkey was awarded contracts in 2022 and 2023 to build four boats for £200million.
CalMac has since sent eight staff and CMAL five to Turkey to monitor progress.
Scottish Tory transport spokeswoman Sue Webber said: ‘Taxpayers are being forced to foot yet another hefty bill as a result of the SNP’s ferries fiasco.
‘After squandering half-a-billion pounds on the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, ministers have blown another £1million flying staff to Turkey to keep tabs on the ferries being built there.
Isle of Islay on sea trials in Turkey last year
‘Some project oversight is understandable ... but this level of spending seems excessive.’
She added: ‘The SNP have betrayed islanders and taxpayers at every turn, leaving remote communities reliant on out-of-date vessels and letting costs spiral out of control for hard-pressed Scots.’
In response to a Freedom of Information request, CalMac said its spending was all in 2024/25, and that it had ‘four staff on-site at any one time, and two shifts to cover the full-time requirement’.
CMAL said its chief executive and four staff had been in Turkey for ‘varying responsibilities and functions’ related to project management. So far, they had spent £111,230 on transport and subsistence, £5,159 on accommodation, £50,447 on flights and £3,236 on car hire.
Earlier this month, it emerged CMAL spent £10,500 flying ten staff and guests to Turkey for the launch of the second of the four ferries, MV Loch Indaal.
Bosses also flew out for the launch of the first ferry, MV Isle of Islay, last year.
A CalMac spokeswoman said: ‘Staff and crew have been spending valuable time at the yard in Turkey carrying out vital work to support CMAL with the build process.’
CMAL said it is ‘required on site throughout the build of vessels to provide essential quality assurance and supervision. Remuneration is the same regardless of the build location, and travel and accommodation costs are standard. These form part of the overall project budget, which remains on target.’
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: 'We intend to deliver six new major vessels to serve Scotland’s ferry network, replacing older vessels and improving reliability.
'Four of these vessels are currently under construction at the Cemre yard in Turkey.
'As people would expect, CMAL has been and is continuing to work closely with the shipyard to reduce the time between delivery of each of the new vessels where possible.'
