A £42 million Scilly Isles ferry contract has headed to a Vietnamese shipyard
The Scilly Isles Steamboat company (SISBC) operates two ferries, one passenger and one cargo, between the mainland and the islands.
Both ferries – which are coming to the end of their lives and need to be replaced – were built at the nearby Appledore Shipyard in Devon.
But instead of being built locally, or even in the UK, the contract for the new ships has gone to a French company Piriou, which has indicated it will build the ships in Vietnam.
Matt Roberts, GMB National Officer, said:
"It’s an absolute scandal – instead of building these ferries at a proud UK shipyard, in the heart of a community that needs the work, they're being built on the other side of the world.
“Shipbuilders of the South West have been hugely let down by the Government and the Scilly Isles Steamboat Company. These ferries could have been built at Appledore once again, supporting local jobs, or at least within the wider UK if this was not possible.”
