Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has completed the purchase of Ardrossan Harbour on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The acquisition from Peel Ports Group includes the full harbour area, the Arran and Irish berths, linkspans, car park and marshalling area, part of the land currently used by the boatyard, and the approach road.
Kevin Hobbs, Chief Executive of CMAL said:
“It’s been a long process to get to this point, and we’d like to extend our thanks to all stakeholders for their patience.
“The purchase of Ardrossan Harbour marks an important step in securing it as the principal mainland port for ferry services to Arran. We will begin community consultation shortly, and look forward to hearing from ferry users on the future of the port.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:
“The Scottish Government has been clear that we want Ardrossan to be the primary mainland port for CalMac ferry services to Arran, so I am pleased that CMAL has today successfully completed the purchase of Ardrossan harbour.
“This purchase will allow for us to focus on redevelopment of the facility as the primary mainland port to Arran. CMAL are already considering short-term work to ensure resilient operations whilst the MV Caledonian Isles continues to operate from Ardrossan, and we are committed to funding a two-port service until the major works begin.
“I appreciate all the work, particularly by the CMAL and Peel Ports teams, that has gone into getting us to this point and look forward to delivering a more resilient and reliable ferry service for communities in both Arran and Ardrossan.”
Full redevelopment plans for the port will be confirmed following planning and stakeholder engagement.
