Frequently Asked Questions - Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment Project

Who is leading the consideration of potential port purchase?

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) on behalf of Scottish Ministers is leading the discussions and negotiations with Ardrossan Harbour Company Ltd (as part of Peel Ports Group).

Discussions are ongoing including due diligence investigations and a requirement to agree a Heads of Terms before any change of ownership can be confirmed.

What is the potential cost of purchase?

Due to the ongoing due diligence and commercially sensitive negotiations around a fair price, we are unable to provide an indicative cost for purchasing the port.

Approval to proceed with purchase will be subject to a negotiated fair settlement, affordability, and value for money considerations by Ministers (as funders) and the CMAL Board.

When will the potential port purchase be confirmed?

A timeline can reasonably be established and published only on the actual purchase and transfer of control of the port.

The programme of work that CMAL are preparing; a short, medium and long term is being developed and will be published in due course.

If the port is purchased, when will works commence and an upgraded port be delivered?

Remedial works by CMAL maybe required upon transfer of ownership to ensure the port remains fit for purpose thus providing a more resilient port and operations for ferry services to continue to Brodick from Ardrossan.

The approach to upgrade the port facility will be considered thereafter. The programme of work that CMAL are preparing a short, medium and long term will be published in due course. It should be noted that the timescales for upgrades will be wholly dependent upon the level of upgrade work required.

What will the impact on services be during the works?

There will be disruption to services on commencement of works at Ardrossan. Transport Scotland, CMAL and CalMac will endeavour to minimise disruption where practicable with services continuing to operate out of Troon to Brodick.

The intention would be to provide the best services possible for the communities of Arran and Ardrossan while balancing the requirements of the harbour projects and the needs of the wider network. Engagement with IOAFC as a member of the Task Force on timetables and service requirements will be continue to be undertaken.

Active and on-going discussions with local businesses and communities on Arran and Ardrossan as to what happens during the works period will be undertaken.

Why has it taken this long to reach a decision?

The scope and cost of the project has been under review for a number of years and has driven the need for alternative approaches on funding contribution levels and mechanisms (taking cognisance of Subsidy Control legislative requirements which means that Government cannot subsidise a privately owned port beyond specified limits).

The legal and commercial complexities of delivering the project through a three - funding partner approach have been highlighted as part of the business case review work and it has proven extremely difficult to identify a solution which meets all three partners’ requirements.

The business case work is paused as our focus is on exploring the port purchase.

There are no compulsory purchase options for ports under current legislation and the current negotiations are being progressed in good faith by all parties and will be subject to due diligence, agreement of a negotiated fair settlement, and approval by Ministers through normal process.

Will the Irish berth be upgraded under CMAL ownership?

The Irish Berth is the secondary berth at Ardrossan and has been used by CalMac in specific wind conditions, primarily Easterly’s, and for accommodating vessels which do not fit on the main Arran Berth, including MV Alfred. The Irish Berth was permanently closed in February 2024 by Ardrossan Harbour Company Ltd (part of Peel Ports Group) for safety reasons.

It was never envisaged that the new vessels (MV Glen Sannox or MV Glen Rosa) would operate from the Irish Berth. The Ardrossan project scope within the business case does not include an upgrade to the Irish Berth.

If the change in ownership proceeds, Transport Scotland and CMAL will consider the future of the Irish Berth and other areas/facilities included in the harbour area but there are no immediate plans to upgrade this berth..

Will the Ardrossan Task Force still be in operation?

The Task Force last met on 17 April 2025 and it is expected this will continue to meet until the Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment project is completed.

The Ministerial Task Force brings together Transport Scotland (TS), Peel Ports Group (PPG) , North Ayrshire Council (NAC), CalMac Ferries Ltd (CalMac), Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee (IOAFC) and Kenneth Gibson MSP.

Stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to contact their local Task Force member should they wish to raise any issues and/or concerns; For Ardrossan – North Ayrshire Council and the local Constituency MSP. For Arran – the IOAFC and/or North Ayrshire Council. NB THE REGIONAL MSPS ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE TASKFORCE

How much was the Ardrossan upgrades estimated to cost?

The estimated cost of the project has more than doubled from earlier estimates and is currently aligned to the business case work which is currently paused.

Is LNG safe? Is the MV Glen Sannox currently operating on LNG?

Yes, the MV Glen Sannox is currently operating as planned on a combination of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Marine Gas Oil (MGO). MV Glen Sannox has been operating on the Troon to Brodick route since entering service in January 2025.

Please see link to LNG webpage: Customer FAQs | LNG | CalMac Ferries

Operation of two mainland ports - what does this mean?

Our aim is to provide a reliable and frequent service between Arran and the mainland. For summer 2025, CalMac intend to operate MV Glen Sannox from Troon to Brodick and MV Caledonian Isles from Ardrossan to Brodick to meet capacity and frequency demands on the route.

A two port operation option was developed in discussion with CalMac and the IOAFC as part of the timetable development process.

Service delivery beyond Summer 2025 will be reviewed when further information on availability of existing vessels (delivery of the MV Glen Rosa which is still under construction), and new vessel delivery becomes available. We intend to maintain services to Ardrossan for as long as possible before the port closes for improvement works.

What’s happening about Troon in the long term?

Troon has been fully operational since February 2024 with services operating to and from Brodick.

Troon will continue to be used as an alternative mainland port to support CalMac services during any periods of disruption and is expected to be available for use during any upgrade works.

How will you keep the community updated on progress? Some don’t use social media!

The IOAFC as the islands representative is a member of the Task Force and project steering group. They provide timely project updates to the community and continue to engage regularly with all project partners.

We will also work with local organisations and representatives to raise awareness of the project, and its progress through established communication channels.

CalMac will continue to lead on the updates around service impacts over the course of the project.

Scottish Government Parliamentary Questions

Parliamentary Questions asked about the Ardrossan Harbour Project can be searched for.