In the Herald today:
Jim McColl rejects blame over ferry fiasco
A Scottish Government shipbuilding expert said a failure to agree on designs before controversial ferry contracts were signed played a major part in the fiasco which has led to costs soaring and delays of at least five years.
Evidence provided by Commadore Luke van Beek has been put forward by Jim McColl the tycoon who headed Ferguson Marine as he hit back at claims that past issues caused by his shipyard firm were a prime cause of the problems.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/23231911.jim-mccoll-rejects-blame-ferry-fiasco/
van Beek was the subject of a Freedom of Information request in 2018 which resulted in the following response from the person requesting it:
Dear Scottish Ministers,
Thank you for the information. From reading correspondence from this response and from other FOI requests it shows that Commodore van Beek was not acting as an independent ‘expert’ as engaged by Scottish Ministers and in one FOI he gives his personal thoughts in December 2018 that he recommended to managers at Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd that they should mount a ‘legal challenge’ against Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. This is hardly an independent view and Scottish Ministers would be well advised, in my view, to refrain from engaging this gentleman for any future such contracts in Scotland.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/contract_between_scottish_minist
Talking-up Scotland 
It’s difficult for Scottish government to know who is genuinely onside and who is a political plant trying to do Scotland down , there are many examples the ferry contract is but one example of someone with politically mischievous intentions infiltrating Scottish government business
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The continuing ”Fairy ” Story about the Ferry Story from Mr McColl who appears to claim that , despite being ”the boss” , he had no control whatsoever over the building of ferries in his own shipyard .
A Big Government Boy did it and ran away – he claims !
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Are there any “experts” around who can waffle away the vastly expensive (to the taxpayer) Ajax military vehicle debacle?
Or the destroyers which cannot put to sea?
Or the ever expanding cost of HS2?
Or the £2 billion lost on nationalising Bulb Energy?
Or the up to £20 billion (or more) to refurb Westminster?
Or the £60 billion to mop up after the Liz Truss incontinence?
Experts?
Surely the Hlasgow Gerrard can find one or two skulking around the Scorrish (sic) Office?
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The irony of Commodore van Beek’s “personal thoughts” are I doubt they would be so far adrift from those of Mr McColl, manoeuvring for financial advantage rather than fulfilling the obligations of the contract.
I’m not for a minute suggesting there were no fault’s on the Client side of this Contract, but “failure to agree on designs” prior to signing the Contract being cited after the fact equally condemns McColl for undertaking the risk as Contractor in signing the Contract at the time.
He can’t have it both ways…
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Very apposite photo above – ” Look – a squirrel ! ” says the guilty man .
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The monies went into the local economy. Innovation always carries a risk. The ferries once finished will save £Billion on fuel. Much more to cover any investment. Ferry running costs will be £Billions lower. The fuel consumption at parent increases dramatically. Any decrease in cost is a bonus. Many short cuts in technology will have been learn in production to lower costs in future and even export the technology. There is always a primary cost to innovation. Recouporated in the future. Spend £Millions to save £Billions. It happens in every innovation technology. The renewable industry getting £Billion back in wind power. Producing cheaper fuel and energy by the £Billion. Scotland is making £Billions, by comparison, with the renewables industry. Leading the world. Scotland the best place for renewables in the world..
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40 ferry lines from the Republic of Ireland to Europe but none from Scotland to Europe , Westminster purposely depriving Scotland .
Once we declare Scottish independence we will need ferry connections from Scotland to Europe we should have these in place before we declare independence because as things stand it is likely that Westminster will not allow Scotland to continue to export from English ports and we sure as H – – – won’t be able to import and export everything by air from Scotland.
We need at least one ferry service between Scotland and Europe in place on the day we declare independence so that we have one option available we can then ramp it up from there, the flat bottom ferries some have talked about for the west coast would be of no use for east of Scotland to Europe so why not have sturdy ferries built for the west of Scotland and the isles that can be switched to east of Scotland for transport of goods to and from Europe .
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