Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022)

Glossary of Terms

Bundle
2 ferry routes or more

CalMac
CalMac Ferries Ltd is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries and ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland and the Clyde estuary.

CHFS
Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services

CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited)
CMAL owns ferries, ports and infrastructure for ferry services serving the west coast of Scotland and the Clyde estuary. CMAL are wholly owned by the Scottish Government with Scottish Ministers the sole shareholders

Contract
A legally binding agreement between parties which sets out the requirement and the terms under which the agreement will be delivered.

DfT (Department for Transport)
The DfT works with agencies and partners to support the transport network that helps the UK's businesses and gets people and goods travelling around the country.

EQIA (Equalities Impact Assessment)
To look at effects of ferry services on Age, Disability, Gender, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGB&T), Race, Religion & Belief.

Harbour dues
Charges in respect of any ship for entering, using or leaving the harbour including charges for any passengers or cars embarking or disembarking at the harbour. This also includes charges in respect of goods brought into, taken out of, or carried through the harbour by the ship.

Lifeline
A lifeline ferry service is required in order for a community to be viable.

MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency)
MCA is an executive agency of the Department for Transport, working to prevent the loss of lives at sea and is responsible for implementing UK and International maritime conventions and codes.

Maritime
(Transport/Nautical Terms) of or relating to navigation, shipping, seafaring etc.

Procurement
Procurement is the whole process of acquisition from third parties and covers goods, services and construction projects. It applies to all public sector procurements - goods, services, (including consultancies and research), construction and works regardless of the source of funding.

RET (Road Equivalent Tariff)
RET scheme involves setting ferry fares on the basis of the cost of travelling an equivalent distance by road.

SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment)
The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 applies to all Scottish Government plans, programmes, strategies and policies. Government's statutory duties under the 2005 Act. Those strategies, plans and programmes that are likely to result in significant effects, in relation to the environment, must be assessed under SEA before the engagement strategy or consultation exercise commences.

SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency)
SEPA is Scotland's environment regulator, to protect and improve the environment by regulating activities that can cause pollution and monitor the quality of Scotland's air, land and water.

SERCO
Serco won the contract to provide subsidised ferry services from mainland Scotland to the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland.

SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport)

Tender
The process by which goods and services are secured.

Trust ports
Trust ports are independent statutory bodies, each governed by its own unique, local legislation and controlled by an independent board. Their common feature is their unique status as trusts. There are no shareholders or owners. Any surplus is ploughed back into the port for the benefit of the stakeholders of the trust. The stakeholders are all those using the port, employees of both port and its users and all those individuals, organisations and groups having an interest in the operation of the port.