Ferry fiasco firm CMAL has been condemned for sending executives on a £1000-a-night Mediterranean conference cruise - billed as being 'entertaining and fun'.
Chief executive Kevin Hobbs and director of vessels Jim Anderson are lined up to head to Barcelona to check in on April 24 for the three-day 'junket' - with costs including Happy Hour and nightcaps. The cruise comes in at a cost between £1,800 and £2,400 per person for two nights while a shared cabin costs between £3,000 and £4,000.
The Shippax Ferry Conference will be on board Cruise Barcelona, one of the largest of its kind that cross the Mediterranean Sea. The conference is due to bring together between 450 and 500 delegates from more than 200 companies and between 50 and 60 ferry operators.
Promotional material states it is a 'guaranteed entertaining and fun event you will remember for a long time'. Jim Anderson is due to speak about the fleet renewal programme, while Mr Hobbs is due to take part in a panel debate on short-range operators.
With a capacity of more than 2,500 passengers, the cruise features 411 air conditioned en-suite cabins, 70 luxury suites, restaurants, bars, a swimming pool and casino. Prices for delegates to the conference includes a single cabin, and a return trip from Barcelona to the Civitavecchia region of Rome.
The fees for the conference state beer, wine, dinner drinks, a happy hour and night caps included as well as two breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Conference details state: "To meet and discuss in combination with having a memorable and enjoyable time together with friends and colleagues in the industry is what the Shippax Ferry Conference is all about, while being on board a ferry ensures a familiar and close connection between all delegates. Educational and fun!"
It comes amid a series of breakdowns of ferries owned by CMAL and operated by Scottish Government-owned CalMac. Alba Party deputy leader Kenny MacAskill said he was 'outraged' by what he called a 'junket' and lodged a complaint with the transport minister.
He said: "Given the total mess where is the credibility? Besides this isn't about securing work for Ferguson Marine, and more like networking with foreign competitors.
"With delays to the vessels lengthening and indeed their costs rising, I am writing to query why two senior CMAL officials are engaging on what frankly appears to me to be a junket. It is noticeable that Ferguson's are not one of the companies represented at the conference and that raises questions about just what the purpose of the attendance by Kevin Hobbs and Jim Anderson will be.
"The priority for Scotland must surely be ensuring the renewal of the Calmac fleet and the construction work of the vessels staying in Scotland at Ferguson's yard. The fact that they are not present, but other foreign yard operators are, gives cause for concern."
Last year it emerged that taxpayer-funded CMAL spent hundreds of pounds more on monthly overseas travel during the pandemic than before Covid hit. CMAL racked up £170,000 in foreign travel over the five years to 2022.
Official figures reveal that CMAL was spending nearly £300 a month more per month on overseas travel during the pandemic than in the five years before the virus hit.
A spokesperson from CMAL said: "CMAL is at the forefront of ferry decarbonisation research, and the Shippax Conference is an opportunity to share this knowledge with our counterparts in the global shipping industry, while also supporting efforts to source second hand tonnage for the Scottish ferry network.
"CMAL has a responsibility to engage with shipyards globally to ensure it is able to fulfil the delivery of up to 21 vessels in the next 10 years."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
