ALBA Party general secretary and former Gourock councillor Chris McEleny insists the government must make a direct award for all of its future ferries to Ferguson’s to keep the yard going.

Mr McEleny says a pipeline of work is needed 'to keep the yard alive'.

Alba want to see a new Ferries Scotland Body which would see the amalgamation of CalMac, CMAL and the nationalised Port shipyard brought together as an integrated body responsible for the procurement, design, construction and operation of Scotland’s ferry fleet.

Mr McEleny said: “We have recently called on the Scottish Government to bring Inverclyde’s Inchgreen Drydock into public ownership to aid the industrial revival of the Lower Clyde.

“But it is important for the Scottish Government to act now to ensure Ferguson’s stays alive after the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa are at sea, and this requires immediate clarity on the issue of direct awards of Scottish taxpayer owned ferries to Scotland’s nationally owned shipyard."