Main Fleet News Fleet News Features CalMac Wins Northern Isles Contract
CALMAC WINS NORTHERN ISLES CONTRACT
Date: 09/03/06 News Feature: CalMac Named as Preferred Bidder for Northern Isles Ferry Contract. Official Press Releases From CalMac & Press...
CalMac Press Release: Ferry operators Caledonian MacBrayne has welcomed confirmation by the Scottish Executive that the company has today been nominated as preferred bidder for the provision of ferry services to the Northern Isles. Caledonian MacBrayne Chairman Director Harold Mills said "The Company is delighted that the status of our bid has now been clarified, and we look forward to taking the remaining discussions forward with a view to taking over the service as scheduled by the Scottish Executive. CalMac has always believed that we could produce a compelling bid for the services and the Company is delighted that all our hard work has taken us to this stage. We now look forward to completing the outstanding arrangements and we will work closely with local communities and the Scottish Executive to achieve the aspirations set out in our bid document"	Hamnavoe leaving Stromness
CALMAC NAMED AS PREFERRED BIDDER FOR NORTHERN ISLES FERRY CONTRACT Source: The Orcadian Caledonian MacBrayne has been named as the preferred bidder for the ferry services contract to Orkney and Shetland. Among the improvements announced by Transport Minister Tavish Scott today are reduced freight tariffs (19 per cent for Orkney) and the inclusion of livestock in the contract. Mr Scott said: “There will now be an intense final period of contract negotiation before the official handover. The six year contract will introduce real benefits for local people and businesses, helping the economies of the Northern Isles.” The handover from NorthLink is due to take place in early summer and, according to the Scottish Executive, will be seamless.
CALMAC SET TO SECURE FERRY ROUTE Source: State-owned ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has been announced as the preferred bidder for the service to Orkney and Shetland from the mainland. The contract was re-advertised two years ago after current operators NorthLink had financial problems. More than £78m in public money was spent keeping the service afloat. The transport minister said the new service would introduce reduced freight tariffs, a new container system for livestock and more berths. NorthLink, a company jointly owned by CalMac and the Royal Bank of Scotland, is expected to handover the service to CalMac in the summer. Under the six year contract, Orkney will see a 19% reduction in freight tariffs, while Shetland's rates will reduce by 25%. Transport Minister Tavish Scott said the executive was committed to providing quality ferry services for people in the Northern Isles. He said: "Although the tendering was a complex exercise, the new contract is financially sound and delivers real improvements for anyone using the service. "There will now be an intense final period of contract negotiation before the official handover." Conservative transport spokesman David Davidson raised concerns over state-owned CalMac being confirmed as the preferred bidder. He said: "My concern from the start of this process - which was heightened when one of the bidders dropped out at an early stage - has been that each bidder had equal access to the information necessary to make a competitive bid, thereby ensuring that the executive's own ferry operator received no preferential treatment." He also called on the executive to ensure contract was sufficiently robust so as to avoid a repeat of the "costly mistakes synonymous with the original NorthLink tender". The transport minister said officials had incorporated the findings of the independent auditor, Audit Scotland, into the procurement exercise. The financial watchdog had been called in to look at the executive's handling of the NorthLink ferry contract after concerns over the amount of public money it was being given. NorthLink took over the route from P&O in 2002, which had linked the Northern Isles to the mainland for more than 30 years. The agreed handover date and details of the subsidy for CalMac's contract will be provided once discussions are concluded. Bids for the ferry route had been submitted by V-Ships UK Ltd and CalMac. Irish Continental Ferries were also initially short-listed.

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