TROUBLED ferry firm Ferguson Marine have admitted problems in appointing a new chief executive - after one quit before they had even started.

The Port Glasgow-based shipbuilder have been without a permanent CEO since the controversial departure of David Tydeman in March.

That role has been taken on in an interim basis by John Petticrew who has agreed to continue in post until next April until a replacement is found.

Revelations about the CEO search came today during evidence at Holyrood from Ferguson Marine bosses on the progress on two new CalMac vessels, the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, which have been beset with delays since 2017.

It was also the first opportunity for MSPs to quiz the new interim chief executive.

Glen Sannox was handed over to the government agency CMAL last week after several years of construction delays at the Port Glasgow shipyard.

(Image: George Munro) The Net Zero, Energy and Transport committee has been monitoring the two ferry projects and tracking the increasing costs while they remain uncompleted.

Ferguson Marine chairman Andrew Miller told MSPs: "We started looking for a CEO 12 months ago and have been unsuccessful in securing a candidate through the usual routes.

"One candidate signed a contract but withdrew ten days ago.

"We asked John Petticrew to extend his contract, and he has agreed to do so until Easter next year."

Mr Miller said they would continue to look for a new CEO in the coming months using a professional recruitment firm.

He added: "Somehow we do not seem to be the most attractive opportunity in the Scottish economy."

When asked why he responded:  "Because of the background and history of the yard and ten years’ worth of negative publicity surrounding the enterprise.

"The delays of the ferries make it less attractive than some other opportunities especially given the financial package on offer."

When asked how they were going to overcome that he responded: "With personality, drive and determination."

Mr Miller said they were looking for a CEO who would run the government-owned company in the long term to the point it would no longer be reliant on subsidies.

READ MORE: Ferguson Marine makes it through to next round of ferry bidding process

He also told MSPs that the previous CEO David Tydeman had lost the confidence of the board.

Mr Petticrew gave details of problems with the Glen Sannox’s anchor mechanism, bought seven years ago, which had added to the delays.

He said it had failed an examination by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency earlier this year.

Mr Petticrew added: "We had to get new parts and pieces to do it.

"A permanent solution is on its way in the coming weeks."

When asked how they got something as simple as an anchor wrong, he replied: "All the technical data we received suggested it should have worked.

"When we did some measurements they didn't match the drawings that were provided.

"I was surprised as anybody that we had the issues we had.

"It was very disappointing."

(Image: George Munro) Mr Petticrew also confirmed that the yard is on target to complete the Glen Rosa by September of next year and said he was 90 percent sure that deadline would be met.

He also revealed Ferguson Marine were hosting 'lessons learned sessions' to make sure the mistakes of the last seven years were not repeated.

Mr Petticrew added: "One of the things we have not been good at, including my tenure, is giving dates and keeping them."

He said the main impediment to keeping the Glen Rosa’s deadline was retaining skilled staff because of uncertainty over Ferguson Marine's future.

The Glen Sannox was handed over to the government agency CMAL last week after several years of construction delays.

Mr Petticrew said the handover was an emotional moment for those at the yard with many people there shedding tears.

He accepted it had taken too long to complete but added: "It is a fantastic vessel"

Mr Petticrew also detailed long-running delays with the ferry’s liquified natural gas fuel system, saying a small bubble in the piping led to considerable remedial work.

Glen Sannox is currently undergoing trials with CMAL before it is handed over to ferry operator CalMac, with the aim of carrying passengers on the Arran route in January.

The cost of work to build the two 102-metre long ferries has more than tripled from the initial price of £97 million and they are more than six years late.

Ferguson Marine’s chief financial officer David Dishon told the MSPs the replacement cost for Glen Sannox was estimated to be £70 million, though it had to be insured for its full build price of around £150 million.

The firm is currently one of six companies bidding for another contract to construct small vessels for CalMac, with unions saying that securing this work will be key to the shipyard’s future.