From EUUSATODAY, today:
Bids to build new plug-in Washington state ferries come in high It’s raising doubts about the state’s plans to construct up to five new hybrid-electric vessels with the $1.3 billion [£1 billion] lawmakers have set aside. Ferry system managers and state budget writers in Washington took a cold wave over the bow Monday upon opening the bids to construct up to five new hybrid electric ferries.
“I don’t see how you get to five. There’s money for three [160 car vessels] on a good day,” said state House Transportation Committee Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma.
The Washington Legislature previously set aside about $1.3 billion to build new ferries and charging infrastructure over the next six to eight years. New vessels are overdue to stabilize the state’s aging and sometimes unreliable ferry fleet. Simultaneously, the ferry system and the state’s Democratic leadership want to reduce the ferries’ air pollution footprint by switching to battery propulsion as much as possible.
So it looks like, given the natural tendency of politicians and contractors to understate costs, these new hybrid vessels are going to cost, ‘on a good day‘ £300 million each. By the time they’re built years later because they’re complex hybrids – £500 million each? They’re not even ordered yet!
How much has the complex hybrid MV Glen Sannox cost? According to the unfriendly Scotsman today, the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa will cost a total of £418 million. So, £200 million for the Glen Sannox and far less than the £330 million each of these US vessels are already predicted to cost or the £500 million we might easily anticipate, 6 or 7 years down the line.
The Glen Sannox will take 127 cars so be around 20% smaller than the Washington boats but that does not translate into 20% cheaper.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Sorry John O/T again!!! I thought that you might find this interesting!!!
‘Millionaire ‘Sir’ Tom Hunter gets it wrong by urging Scotland to emulate Singapore!!!
So Tom hunter, the businessmen, has urged the Scottish Government to emulate Singapore by cutting tax and red tape in an effort to reverse what he described as “managed decline”.
He also said that “If we can get better wealth creators to Scotland, they will create the jobs, they will pay more tax, not because of the rate, because of the take.”
Millionaire urges Scotland to emulate Singapore to reverse ‘managed decline’ | STV News
Managed decline?
On the former according to the database numbeo.com comparing Singapore to Glasgow ( it doesn’t let you put in Scotland) we have this:
Indices Difference
Cost of Living in Glasgow is 21.7% lower than in Singapore (excluding rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in Glasgow is 34.9% lower than in Singapore
Rent Prices in Glasgow are 54.1% lower than in Singapore
Restaurant Prices in Glasgow are 25.3% higher than in Singapore
Groceries Prices in Glasgow are 18.4% lower than in Singapore
Local Purchasing Power in Glasgow is 22.1% higher than in Singapore
Cost to buy a house or flat in
Glasgow is 80.7% lower than
in Singapore
Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore, Singapore And Glasgow, United Kingdom
While the average net monthly salary (after tax) in Singapore is 20.4% higher than in Glasgow and the mortgage interest rate is 63.6% lower in Singapore all of their wages and more are spent on rent, mortgage and the higher cost of living.
Taking note that setting interest rates is not a devolved power in Scotland. Interest rates are set by the Bank of England, which is a reserved power under the UK Government. while the Scottish Government can set some terms and conditions related to borrowing and lending, the actual interest rates are determined centrally by the UK Government.
Now while I am not a businessman or indeed a millionaire it looks like it would be an extremely bad idea for Scotland and for the Scottish people if the SNP Scottish Government, which I know they won’t, followed this millionaire businessman’s incorrect and misleading advice.
Could it be that he just wants to invite more ‘wealth creators’ to Scotland because with our massively rich natural resources the ‘take’ is so bloody good!!!
Wake up Scotland!!!
JB
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Rather interesting to note from https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/05/12/washington-state-ferry-bids/ is ” Neither bid includes the expensive hybrid electric powertrains for the new ferries, which the state plans to acquire separately “.
They’re not so much ‘complex’ drive systems, rather than the scale of what is required for such large tonnages doesn’t exactly come ‘off the shelf’ yet, but perhaps some day…
Yet it’s the ‘charging infrastructure’ which will be by far the greatest financial headache, borne by this project yet opening the door to servicing future vessel builds…
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Those battering the Scottish ferry system don’t want context, that would spoil their gripes. These two ferries have been used to blooter the SG for years now and will do so into into the future.
Remember the rubbishing of the Queensferry Crossing? Every chance they got they had a dig at it. They will again if we ever get a cold enough winter.
It was refreshing to catch up with the Welsh Parliament where questions to the FM didn’t dissolve into party political broadcasts for the Union.
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Very well said Kelticgirl.
“Those battering the Scottish ferry system” – are those who also “batter” everything else in Scotland, not because they believe these things have failed, or that they are truly broken or that they are being mismanaged by the SNP , but solely for political reasons , which are all , as “batterings” , only done to try to damage the SNP politically.
The fact that the pro UK media colludes with and so indulges all of the SNP’s opponents to allow them to do this , that then speaks volumes as to the real reason behind the constant “battering”.
That is, these continuous “batterings” are only being done to try to stop Scottish independence. (bottom line always in all of their attacks).
Vote SNP via a majority in 2026 , or continue within their UK to be sickened by the political propaganda and brainwashing that we are all subjected to on a daily basis via both the pro UK political parties and their client media .
While all of us on here, and too many elsewhere, are fully aware of just how awful those pro UK political parties are and too their client media as well , who both as politicians and a media oppose the SNP, as they both only support the sustaining of their dysfunctional and disunited State that they laughingly refer to as a ‘United’ Kingdom.
Liz S
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Those battering the Scottish ferry system don’t want context, that would spoil their gripes. These two ferries have been used to blooter the SG for years now and will do so into into the future.
Remember the rubbishing of the Queensferry Crossing? Every chance they got they had a dig at it. They will again if we ever get a cold enough winter.
It was refreshing to catch up with the Welsh Parliament where questions to the FM didn’t dissolve into party political broadcasts for the Union.
LikeLiked by 1 person