PRESSURE is mounting for Peel Ports to be stripped of control of Inverclyde's maritime industrial assets in the wake of failures with a ship scrapping operation at Inchgreen Dry Dock.

Demands for the Scottish Government and Inverclyde Council to 'remove' Peel are growing after dry dock tenant Atlas Decommissioning axed almost all of its workforce.

The Telegraph revealed last week that the seven-month-old outfit — which promised to deliver 100 skilled jobs and turn Inchgreen into a 'centre of excellence' — has been forced to lay off its start-up staff of 18 and retain a rump of just three for site 'upkeep'.

Now local politicians and campaigners intent on re-industrialising Greenock are intensifying efforts to have the dry dock returned to public control.

This comes at the same time as Inverclyde's MSP re-asserts his desire to see Inchgreen as part of a 'harbour trust'.

SNP man Stuart McMillan has also taken a critical swipe at Atlas.

He said: "I am particularly disappointed with the lack of engagement from Atlas.

"My office has reached out on numerous occasions via phone and email over recent times without reply.

"This does not fill me with confidence.

"The promise of active engagement with local stakeholders hasn't taken place and I can understand the negative feeling many people have locally about the future of Atlas's use of the dry dock."

Meanwhile in an excoriating broadside, Alba party Inverclyde Council group leader Jim McEleny has taken aim at Peel Ports, Atlas and those who welcomed the ship scrapyard deal last November.

He said: "When others acted as cheerleaders for turning Scotland's greatest maritime industrial asset into the country's largest scrapyard we warned of the dangers of the false promises that were made.

"They claimed it would create 100 jobs.

"There are now only three people employed there.

"Inchgreen Dry Dock has the potential to be an integral part of a renewed industrial strategy for Scotland that would create more than a thousand jobs.

"That's the sort of aspiration Inverclyde's politicians should have, as opposed to being happy with scraps at a table.

"Peel Ports have had decades to revive the dry dock but have failed to bring any long term work to it.

"Many people think there is a concerted effort to suppress its development in shipbuilding and maritime engineering as this would take business away from their other interests on the Mersey.

"You just need to look to millions of pounds of contracts that CalMac are sending to the Mersey to support work there, when we have a dry dock sitting empty, to see there is merit in that argument.

"Now is the time to get real on the future of Inchgreen Dry Dock, join with the excellent work of the Campaign to Save Inchgreen and demand the council and the government work together to bring it into public ownership."

Peel Ports today defended its local record.

A spokesman for the company said: "Peel Ports has made multi-million pound investments into various operations across the west coast, providing hundreds of direct and indirect jobs for Scotland over many years.

"These include improving the cruise facilities at Greenock Ocean Terminal, and ambitious plans for the former coal port at Hunterston.

"Our facilities are creating opportunities for investment, jobs and skills that will benefit the people and businesses of Scotland.

"We remain fully committed to having Inchgreen Dry Dock back in full industrial use, and the ambition is for it to be busy well into the next decade.

"Employment on the site is a matter for the site operator."

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Glasgow City Region Deal supports a number of projects within the region including projects within Inverclyde such as the development of the Inchgreen deep water quay.

"The Dry Docks remain an issue for the owners, Peel Ports."

Robert Buirds, of the Campaign to Save Inchgreen Dry Dock, said: "The Scottish Government must remove Peel Ports from Inchgreen and hand ownership to the Inverclyde community — not the council.

"The community can set up a charitable trust company, open it up to the many companies looking for a major industrial asset to successfully operate and create the needed skilled jobs."