Scotland’s state-owned shipbuilder Ferguson Marine has opened consultations on up to 70 voluntary redundancies at its Port Glasgow yard as work on Glen Rosa winds down and a gap opens before new vessel contracts are finalised, according to Ferguson Marine.
The yard employs 283 people, including 34 apprentices, meaning the maximum reduction would remove nearly a quarter of its workforce. Glen Rosa is in final outfitting and commissioning ahead of planned delivery in Q4 2026. Ferguson Marine said the redundancy programme would not affect the remaining work or the vessel’s delivery schedule.
Chief executive Graeme Thomson said the shipbuilder faced an “inevitable gap in workload” while preparations continued for negotiations over new contracts. He said the measures were intended to “protect the long-term viability of the yard”.
The Scottish Government proposed in March 2026 that Ferguson Marine receive direct awards for four vessels, subject to due diligence. They comprise two ferries for Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited under the Small Vessel Replacement Programme, a replacement for research vessel Scotia and a replacement for fisheries protection vessel Minna. The four-vessel programme would occupy most of the yard’s capacity for the next five years while leaving room for other commercial work. The contracts have not yet been finalised.
GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour said up to 70 jobs were at risk and warned that the yard could lose skilled and experienced shipbuilders.
Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited operates Newark Works on the lower River Clyde and is the last remaining commercial shipyard on the Clyde.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited owns ferries, ports, harbours and related infrastructure used for ferry services in Scotland. It is wholly owned by the Scottish Government, with Scottish Ministers as its sole shareholders.