The boss of CalMac has backed merging Scotland’s two state-owned ferry companies.
Chief executive Duncan Mackison and fleet director Louis de Wolff made the case for combining the firm with Cmal.
CalMac runs the day-to-day running of services while Cmal owns the vessels and harbours.
Mr De Wolff told MPs a single organisation would “collectively own the end-to-end process”, from the design of ferries and harbour infrastructure through to delivery.
CalMac and Cmal were previously a single Government-owned company but were split in two in 2006 due to EU regulations.
Appearing before the Scottish Affairs Committee, Mr Mackison said it is his “personal view” that the two organisations should be brought together.
He said CalMac and Cmal are both transitioning to becoming a Government quango by April 2027.
“In that regard, and in the regard of the fact that EU procurement legislation, or the UK equivalent, doesn’t apply to us now because we’re fully in the public sector, means that the previous barrier to keeping those two organisations has been removed,” he said.
He said he could “not speak” of the Scottish Government’s “intent” around any merger, but said the country’s political parties had committed to looking at the structure of ferry governance in Scotland.
“My expectation is that that is something that’s going to be investigated more closely,” he added.
Mr de Wolff, the fleet director of CalMac, also appeared to back a merger.
He said: “The benefits of being one organisation are that we would collectively own the end-to-end process, from concepts of ferries and infrastructure all the way to delivery of those.
“Currently, we can deliver that together with the partners in Cmal by working together, but it is true that if we were one organisation, that would be easier.”
CalMac operates ferry services, while Cmal owns most of the vessels and harbour infrastructure used by the operator. Transport Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government, is responsible for funding and overseeing ferry services.
Earlier in the session, CalMac’s chief executive said the average age of the operator’s 37-vessel fleet is approaching 26 years.
Mr Mackison said the arrival of new ferries over the coming years should improve reliability but he stressed ongoing investment is required.
The committee also heard that the proportion of ferry cancellations caused by technical faults has surged over the past decade.
Committee chairwoman Patricia Ferguson said a freedom of information request showed technical problems accounted for more than half of cancellations in 2025, compared with around 10% in 2015.
Mr Mackinson said technical cancellations should reduce as newer vessels enter service, with another four large ferries due to join the fleet by next year, while seven small vessels are expected between 2027 and 2029.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Any changes to our ferries bodies are part of the Scottish Government’s wider commitment to public sector reform and ministers will provide further detail in due course.”