FERGUSON Marine bosses say they’re confident they have the people, skills and knowledge to win a new contract to build seven small electric ferries for the CalMac fleet.

The Tele reported yesterday that the state-owned Port Glasgow yard had been selected to advance to the 'invite to tender' stage of the £175 million ‘small vessel replacement programme’ for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL).

Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow is one of six yards to make it to the second stage of the process.

Tenders for phase one of the programme are expected to be submitted to the government by January, with the contract award due in March.

A Ferguson Marine spokesperson said: “This is excellent news and a testament to our team who prepared a robust submission for the first stage.

“We will focus on developing and submitting a strong bid to build the small vessels for CMAL, something the Ferguson Marine shipyard is well-placed to deliver.

"We have the people, skills, experience and detailed knowledge required.”

Ferguson Marine is one of six yards still in the running for the major new government contract.Ferguson Marine is one of six yards still in the running for the major new government contract. (Image: George Munro) Pleas for the work to be directly handed to the yard fell on deaf ears earlier this year with the Scottish Government insisting that the limits of UK legislation left it with no option but to put the work out to competitive tender.

Deputy first minister Kate Forbes said in July that a direct award of the contract to Fergusons would have introduced “substantial risks and uncertainties for the shipyard and the communities which rely on the lifeline vessels”.

At the same time she announced proposals to invest £14.2m in the yard, in a bid to prepare it to bid for, and secure, new work in the future.

Opposing MSPs Stuart McMillan, of the SNP, and Labour's Neil Bibby had joined forces to urge the Scottish Government to make a direct award to the yard.

Kevin Hobbs, chief executive of ferry procurement body Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), said: “We received interest from many shipyards across the world and carried out a robust assessment against set criteria, including their suitability to take on this project.

“Six shipyards scored the highest across the criteria, and have now been issued an invitation to tender for the contract.

“We look forward to reviewing the tender documents in the new year, and delivering the electric vessels which will continue our rejuvenation of the fleet and shore infrastructure for island communities.”

The other yards invited to tender for the work, which will see seven small ferries built to serve the smaller islands in the CalMac network, are Cammell Laird in Liverpool, Chilean firm Asenav SA, Turkish yard Cemre Marin Edustri AS, the Polish Remontowa Shipbuilding SA, and the multinational Damen Offshore and Specialised Vessels.

The Cemre yard is already building four large ferries for CMAL, to serve Islay, North Uist and Harris, while Remontowa built the two vessels which serve the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route, MVs Bute and Argyle, launched in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

The Remontowa yard also built MV Finlaggan for the Kennacraig-Islay service in 2010.