Scotland's state-owned shipyard to cut a quarter of its workforce
Scotland's state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard is cutting nearly a quarter of its workforce as it faces a gap in orders. While the government has promised new work, the yard is currently undergoing due diligence processes, leading to voluntary redundancy offers.
Why it matters
The job losses highlight the economic instability of the state-run shipyard and the challenges of maintaining industrial capacity in the region.
Image source, Getty Images By Calum Watson BBC Scotland Published 18 August 2026, 09:24 BST Updated 1 hour ago Scotland's state-owned shipyard is to cut nearly a quarter of its total workforce while it waits for confirmation of promised new orders.
Workers at Ferguson Marine have been invited to apply for voluntary redundancy as construction draws to a close on the second of two long-delayed CalMac ferries.
The Port Glasgow firm currently employs 247 core staff, 31 agency staff and 32 apprentices - but says it expects to shed 70 posts through a voluntary redundancy process.
The Scottish government has promised to directly award the yard new orders for four smaller ships, but ministers say they are still conducting "due diligence" on the plan.
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