FERGUSON’S in Port Glasgow will have to sweat it out until after May’s general election to see if it has secured a multi-million pound Arran ferry order.

The Tele can reveal that the contract for the new vessel for the Caledonian MacBrayne Ardrossan to Brodick route will NOT be awarded until after the crunch poll — on 7 May — has taken place.

The procurement process started five months ago and it was hoped that the yard would know by now whether it had won the lucrative order.

Now bosses at Port-based Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), who will issue the contract on behalf of the Scottish Government, say the tendering process will end on Tuesday.

They expect to make an announcement once the dust settles on the election campaign.

A spokeswoman said: “Responses are expected by 31st March with a view to awarding the contract late spring 2015.” It was in October last year that the Scottish Government launched the procurement process to build and design two new ferries at a cost of £30m for use on the Clyde and Hebrides network — one of which is for the Ardrossan to Brodick crossing.

It’s understood that the reborn Newark yard — saved from the scrapheap by Clyde Blowers boss Jim McColl after it plunged into administration — is in a strong position to secure the contract.

But news that the announcement is over a month away, at least, has caused unease in some quarters.

Labour MSP for Greenock & Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil says he intends to seek some reassurance over the situation.

Mr McNeil said: “I will be seeking detailed answers from CMAL and the transport minister as to the reasons for the delay in the process.

“It would be very concerning if the goalposts have been moved to avoid bad news before the general election.

“If Ferguson’s were not to win this contract it would be a blow to the continuity and future of the yard.” In his dramatic takeover new owner Mr McColl pumped in an initial £8 million investment to deal with losses and provide working capital for the business.

Around £4 million of that money was set aside to create new offices, build new cranes and put other infrastructure in place. Just weeks after the yard was saved Ferguson’s secured a £12m contract from the Scottish Government to build a third hybrid ferry for CalMac.

Mr McColl — who immediately re-hired Ferguson’s 70-strong workforce after taking control — is currently on course to increase that number to 120 employees.

He has said that the workforce could rapidly increase to around 400 if the bid for the two 100-metre long ferries for CMAL proves successful.

The billionaire businessman has also declared that there is nothing to stop Scotland rivalling shipbuilders in Germany, Poland and Turkey.