Call for Inchgreen Dry Dock to finally be put to work

Stephen McCabe has gone 'directly' to management of Peel Ports over its lease of Greenock's most valuable maritime industrial asset to fledgling firm Atlas Decommissioning.

In what appears to be a significant policy shift, Councillor McCabe is urging Peel bosses to look at fresh uses for the dry dock.

The local authority leader, who has described Atlas's jobs failure as 'deeply disappointing', had hailed the deal for the company to break-up container ships at the facility as a 'terrific shot in the arm for the Inverclyde economy' when it was announced last year.

But Atlas — which promised to create 100 'skilled jobs' — has failed to land a single vessel, and a backup plan involving oil and gas industry ships also appears doomed.

Now Councillor McCabe wants Peel Ports to look again at their strategy for Inchgreen.

The council leader told the Telegraph: "The council welcomed the Atlas investment in Inchgreen and the associated promised jobs in good faith.

"It is clearly deeply disappointing that these jobs have so far not materialised due to current market conditions.

"I am assured that Atlas remain committed to Inchgreen and have invested a significant amount of money in preparing the site.

"Nevertheless I recently spoke directly to the management of Peel Ports, who own the dry dock, and impressed upon them the need to explore alternative productive uses for the dock, given the failure of Atlas to date to secure contracts for the break-up of vessels."

Atlas's blueprint to scrap end-of-life container ships lies in tatters following a massive surge in ship-based freight transport as a result of the recovery from the Covid pandemic.

We told earlier this month how the company was pleading for help from legislators and industry regulators to bring oil and gas industry ships to Inchgreen instead.

But an Atlas spokeswoman admitted: "We lobbied ]the] Scottish Government to support the process with no financial commitment required from them, but those attempts have been unsuccessful."

Robert Buirds, secretary of the Campaign to Save Inchgreen Dry Dock, was yesterday scathing in his criticism of the local authority and Councillor McCabe.

Mr Buirds said: "The council and Stephen McCabe have pussyfooted around the Peel Group since they arrived in the town two decades ago.

"They have believed every word about revitalising Inchgreen and never challenged when they didn't deliver.

"They refused our submissions to the new economic taskforce, requesting that they investigate what we say is Peel's destruction of the Inchgreen facility and the negative contribution they have made to Inverclyde's prosperity."

Mr Buirds added: "Stephen McCabe has been in charge for 15 years plus and has delivered no regeneration of our industrial facilities and stood by as Peel destroyed our waterfront.

"Therefore I don't believe he'll deliver anything."

Atlas bosses had claimed at a stormy public meeting at Greenock's Tontine Hotel last year that they would have a 24,000-ton ship at Inchgreen before Christmas.

We subsequently revealed how the company had tried and failed to being three ships to Inchgreen — the Maersk Idaho, Nysted Maersk and Lucie Schult.

A Peel Ports spokesman said: "Local people will be well aware we're continuing to attract cruise vessels, thanks partly to the improved cruise facilities at Greenock Ocean Terminal.

"We also recently announced the first direct cargo connection with China in partnership with shipping line AllSeas.

"Our ambitions and facilities are creating opportunities for investment, jobs and skills that will benefit the people and businesses of Scotland.

"We remain fully committed to having Inchgreen Dry Dock back in full industrial use and busy for many years to come."