HARBOUR chiefs who control Inchgreen Dry Dock have been branded 'carpetbaggers' by a pressure group after a Clyde-berthed cruise ship in need of maintenance sailed past Greenock destined for maintenance work in Spain.

The Campaign to Save Inchgreen has accused Peel Ports of failing the town by not securing the work on the Azamara Quest — which had been laid up in Glasgow for more than a year — for the dry dock here.

A photograph taken by campaign member and chair of Inverclyde Liberal Democrats, Alasdair Higgins, showing the ship passing Inchgreen last week on her way to Cadiz has won praise locally for its 'irony'.

Mr Higgins' snap was followed up by a blistering attack on Peel Ports by the campaign, over what has been described as 18 years of inaction at Inchgreen.

Campaign secretary Robert Buirds said: "Peel Ports allowed the contract to slip through their fingers for docking the ship, either because they couldn't be bothered putting in a competitive tender for the job or the facility is in such a state of repair it couldn't accommodate the docking.

"Peel have been playing their usual political games by saying the dock is fit for purpose and actively seeking work and doing the opposite — nothing for 18 years and destroying the facility."

Mr Buirds wrote to Peel Ports Clydeport director Jim McSporran on July 26, asking why his firm had 'failed' to secure docking at Inchgreen after stating it was 'actively pursuing' the work.

In an email exchange between the two men, Mr McSporran replied: "That's actually not what I said. I said that the ship was leaving for Spain (Cadiz) for dry docking, but I would try and secure or at least offer dry docking of the other two [still berthed at Glasgow] if required.

"At the end of the day it's their decision where and when they dry dock.

"I would suggest that we haven't failed at anything.

"These decisions were made by the [cruise] company..."

Mr Buirds says local politicians also have questions to answer over the inactivity at Inchgreen.

He said: "When are the politicians, particularly the local lot who are supposed to represent the interests of the community, going to unite with the campaign and demand the removal of Peel from Inchgreen?

"Don't hold your breath.

"Obviously Peel are sitting tight hoping for more public money to be invested to refurbish the dry dock.

"Currently the City Deal £10m on top of the £1.5m they have received from Clyde Mission is going to refurbish Inchgreen, which excludes the dry dock, and not one penny from them [Peel].

"What a shower of carpetbaggers Peel are, encouraged by politicians who are not too interested in making a challenge to their dominance.

"The campaign group and its supporters will be around until we see a fully operational Inchgreen dry dock and the industrial regeneration of our coastline."

Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe said: "There is no reasonable prospect of the Scottish Government being persuaded to compulsorily purchase the Inchgreen Dry Dock from its current owners.

"Like the campaign group, the council would like to see the dry dock used to its full potential for the benefit of the local community.

"We continue to engage constructively with Peel to this end as we develop the City Deal project for the adjacent site."

Peel Ports boss Mr McSporran said: "At no point was there an opportunity for us to tender for the provision of dry docking for Azamara Quest.

"The question was asked, but Azamara had already made arrangements at Cadiz.

"As for future work at Inchgreen, we are in talks with a number of potential customers.

"These are currently under confidential non-disclosure agreements, but we are close to being able to make announcements."