Ending the Ferry Fiasco

Ending the Ferry Fiasco

Anas Sarwar has set out how Scottish Labour will “end the SNP’s ferry fiasco” as new figures show a tenfold increase in cancellations.

On a visit to the Western Isles, the Scottish Labour leader took aim at the SNP’s “shameful” record on ferries and set out Scottish Labour’s plans to fix the mess.

The SNP’s failure to upgrade Scottish ferries has led to soaring numbers of breakdown-related cancellations on Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, with CalMac describing the situation as “critical” and “unprecedented”.

Figures provided in an FOI response from CalMac show that the number of ferries cancelled for technical reasons rose more than tenfold between 2015 and 2025 – from 709 to 7371 per year.

In 2025 the majority of cancellations were caused by technical issues rather than weather or other – the first time in at least a decade that this has been the case. In 2015 technical cancellations accounted for only one in 10 cancellations.

To fix the SNP’s mess, Scottish Labour has pledged to:

  • Deal with the cluttered and confused governance structures that allow SNP Ministers to dodge responsibility by merging CalMac and CMAL into a new publicly-owned ferry agency.
  • Give islanders a real voice in the system by guaranteeing local representation on the board of the new agency.
  • Introduce a new ferry procurement process to end the SNP’s chaotic ad hoc approach to replacing ageing vessels.
  • Deliver greater standardisation of the ships procured and put in place a rolling programme to continually modernise the fleet.  
  • Work with Scotland’s iconic shipbuilding industry to secure jobs and investment and deliver the ferries island communities need.

Commenting, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said “Cancellations have sky-rocketed because of the SNP’s failure to upgrade Scotland’s lifeline ferry fleet.

“Right across Scotland, the SNP’s ferry fiasco is a symbol of their incompetence and waste – but in our islands it has wreaked havoc with people’s day to day lives.

“Behind these shameful figures are islanders who have missed weddings, funerals and medical appointments, loved ones who have been separated and businesses that are struggling to stay afloat.

“Enough is enough – it is time to put an end to the SNP’s ferry fiasco and give island communities the reliable lifeline service they deserve.

“Scottish Labour will fix the SNP’s mess and deliver the ferries island communities need.

“We will cut bureaucracy and restore the political accountability that the SNP has been dodging for so long by streamlining cluttered governance structures.

“We will give islanders a real voice in the system and we will reform procurement to deliver a rolling programme of upgrades.

“Islanders, taxpayers and shipyard workers are all being let down by the SNP’s broken system – but there is a choice.

“On May 7 we have vote for change and elect a Scottish Labour government that will end the SNP’s ferry crisis and get the basics right.”