Image source, bbc

Mr McColl says it is difficult to have mediation when the other side is refusing to sit down and agree terms.

That's when he would have expected Transport Scotland or the government to mediate on the mediation terms but they refused to do it, refused to engage any time.

"I don't understand why."

The industrialist says he raised these concerns with the first minister, the finance secretary, the deputy first minister, the business secretary and all three transport ministers over the time period.

Mr Smyth asks: "What action did they take?"

No direct action to make it happen, just arranging meetings to discuss it but acting passively replies Mr McColl.

He says the ministers should have instructed wholly owned entity (CMAL) to accept an independent expert coming in, that's what Transport Scotland were doing when they asked Luke van Beek at first but that then went away.

Mr McColl says the gateway review did not happen because CMAL refused to engage with it.

Mr McColl says a number of meetings didn't go anywhere as they just hit a brick wall from CMAL.

SNP MSP Emma Harper asks how relations with CMAL became so bad.

Gerry Marshall says the CEO of CMAL was civil face to face, but the problem was with emails and CMAL's claims everything was down to Fergusons.

In Mr Marshall's view CMAL were very much entrenched and had no accountability at their end.

Green MSP John Finne asks about a bullying culture in place in the yard and how industrial relations were.

Mr McColl replies: "Industrial relations in the yard were fantastic.

"We had a great relationship with the workforce and the two shop stewards."

Alex Logan, Ferguson convener and workforce representative on the FMEL board gave evidence to the committee last month.

SNP MSP Angus MacDonald asks if it is not the case the bulbous bow has been condemned by Lloyds due to the steel being to thin in the hinges.

Chris Dunn says he is not aware of that and says the bulbous bow has been signed off by pretty much everyone.

Issues with the original bulbous bow could have been repaired, says Mr Dunn.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle asks why didn't Fergusons sit down with CMAL and decide what was needed.

Mr McColl says they did seek a meeting, and they got constant refusals from CMAL.

He says he had to make a personal appeal to the first minister to get them round the table.

Mr McColl says they were not allowed direct contact with CalMac, and if that had happened it it his belief that the ferries would sailing by now.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks why is the bulbous bow of the Glen Sannox completely wrong and being replaced.

Mr McColl replies the original bulbous bow was a perfectly good bulbous bow but it didn't look good.

We didn't want people looking at it and saying its ugly, adds the industrialist and he explains that is why a "nice new fancy bulbous bow" was made.

Mr Marshall says that was a Ferguson Marine decision, not one made by the new management team.

Jim McColl says that the design is 60% - 70% signed off, not 95%, and that the claim that it is 95% signed off is nonsense.

Mr McColl also says there have been three changes from CMAL to the engine room which has delayed the contract by a year and pipes having to be scrapped.

Gerry Marshall former CEO of Ferguson refutes claims FMEL didn't have a quality management system, pointing to the excellent scores that were given by CMAL when they audited Fergusons.

He also says: "When given a design contract you should be allowed to design it without the interference we had".

He explains that every drawing they had to make had to be signed off by CMAL.

Jim McColl also tells the committee that they claim they contract was breached by CMAL because of the "constant changes and the disruption caused".

Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks about criticisms in the report from the turnaround director which very critical of the management of Ferguson Marine.

Tim Hair, the recently-appointed turnaround director, told the committee the vessels were "significantly less than half built" and 95% of the ships' design has not been agreed with CMAL more than four years after the deal was first brokered. Read more about this here.

Image source, bbc

In response to the claims in the report from Tim Hair, Mr McColl says: "They are absolutely scandalous claims and again in the submission we've addressed every single one."

Since government moved in all the senior people involved have been got rid off, adds the industrialist, who says there had been a very good project management system in place which was well controlled

"Its a very good system that was put in place by Gerry Marshall, probably one of the best I've seen."

Mr McColl insists it's "appalling" the minister in parliament defamed management by waving the report in air which was all nonsense.

My McColl says the constant additional changes from CMAL to the specifications were a problem.

He says that the changes were so significant this was going beyond a new build contract.

He says they brought in experts to review the contract and they viewed it as a prototype.

It should never have been a standard new build contract because of the changes coming through,adds Mr McCall.

"There were too many changes for us to take care of."

He revealed they asked CMAL to freeze the design as they couldn't give an update on delivery and cost because changes kept coming and they're still coming.

Mr Rumbles ask if Mr McColl was surprised at the announcement of the £97m price of the contract by the first minister.

Mr McColl explains the FMEL negotiater was still in discussion with CMAL to get the price down from £105 and was looking at the exchange contract when the first minister announced the price would be £97m.

Mr McColl confirms the FMEL bid was £96.8m

SNP MSP Maureen Watt asks why a company was chosen for design that, she says, had no previous experience with ferries.

Chris Dunn explains that price and working relationships was important, and that they were also European experts in using the software that had been chosen to be used.

Mr McColl adds that: "They are competent people, very good credentials, and it was a very good choice to take."

Image source, Ferguson Marine

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson asks why Mr McColl signed a contract he had concerns with.

Mr McColl explains he signed the contact based on the previous experience of building the Catriona with CMAL.

He says the Catriona was six weeks early and on cost, at no profit and there was a good working relationship with CMAL, who had a different management at the time.

At the time of the bid FMEL was told not to worry about the spec as the shipyard could work collaboratively with CMAL, although accepting a loss might be needed, he adds.

Image source, Getty Images

The cost of completing two delayed CalMac ferries has more than doubled, the Scottish government has revealed.

A row over the construction of two ferries under a £97m deal saw the Ferguson Marine yard in Inverclyde taken into public hands.

Now a new assessment of the vessels has revealed costs have soared and they will be delayed again.

The first ship, Glen Sannox, destined for the Arran route, will not be ready until the last three months of 2021.

• Look back on the ferry statement with Holyrood Live
• Ferguson shipyard taken into public ownership
• Government adviser was against nationalising shipyard
• Read more here

Mr McColl explains that they were in negotiations with CMAL to get the price down from £105m to £97m. But, when the First Minister made an announcement that the price would be £97m, CMAL told them that because it was announced they were stuck with £97m.

He said that Fergusons were prepared to take a small hit to have the contract.

Image source, bbc

Mr Rumbles says this all went wrong right from the beginning

Mr McColl agress saying he would have expected the specification to be more fully flushed out with most of the risks taken care of

He agrees the contract was far more rushed than normal and that the specification was not mature.

He says initially Ferguson worked with CMAL on the specifications, but there was a change at CMAL and relations became hostile and there was a intransigence to discuss things.