Ardrossan harbour taken into public ownership

Ardrossan harbour has been taken into public ownership after a deal for it to be bought by the Scottish government's ferries and ports agency was completed.

The government was forced to nationalise the Ayrshire harbour because new CalMac ferries ordered for the Arran route were found to be too big to berth safely at the existing facilities without extensive redevelopment.

It has not been confirmed how much it has cost to buy the harbour from its previous owner Peel Ports Group.

The deal means that Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) takes control of the harbour area on behalf of the Scottish government.

CMAL, which is entirely owned by the Scottish government, already has 27 harbours on the west coast of Scotland as well as 37 ferries.

Ministers issued a "shareholder directive" for CMAL to complete the purchase after it raised concerns including the condition of the harbour assets.

Transport Scotland advised that uncertainty and risks meant a "value for money" test had not been fully met, and requested ministerial authority to proceed.

That was granted by Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop who said she was guided by "wider considerations" and believed nationalisation was the best possible solution.

Plans to redevelop the harbour through a partnership involving Peel Ports, North Ayrshire Council and the Scottish government were first announced in 2018 after computer simulations revealed new ferries were too big to berth safely.

But projected costs for the redevelopment rose sharply and it proved impossible to reach an agreement on how to manage the risks and financial outlay.

Recent estimates of the costs have ranged from £80m to £150m, on top of the undisclosed purchase price.

CMAL's chief executive Kevin Hobbs said it had been a long process but the purchase was an important step in securing Ardrossan as the principal mainland port for ferry services to Arran.

Ardrossan offers the fastest and most direct route from the mainland to Arran - and ferries have operated between the town and the island for more than a century.

Since entering service in January last year, Glen Sannox, one of the new larger ferries, has been forced to sail from Troon, about 15 miles (24km) further south.

The new ship is 335.9ft (102.4m) long, while the main Arran Berth at Ardrossan is only 318ft (97m) long.

An identical ferry, MV Glen Rosa, is also earmarked for the route, and is due to enter service at the end of this year or early in 2027.

Without the required upgrades, the only CalMac ships capable of sailing from Ardrossan are smaller, older vessels such as MV Caledonian Isles and MV Isle of Arran.

Hyslop said: "CMAL are already considering short term work to ensure resilient operations whilst the MV Caledonian Isles continues to operate from Ardrossan, and we are committed to funding a two-port service until the major works begin.

"I appreciate all the work, particularly by the CMAL and Peel Ports teams, that has gone into getting us to this point and look forward to delivering a more resilient and reliable ferry service for communities in both Arran and Ardrossan."