Delegates at the STUC Annual Congress have unanimously voted in support of two motions put forward by Nautilus International on the first day of the event, which is taking place at Caird Hall, Dundee between 28 and 30 April 2025.
Shetland and Orkney ferries
Nautilus strategic organiser Grant Mudie moved Motion 27, 'Vessel replacement on Shetland and Orkney Ferry Routes' which was passed unanimously.
The motion notes some of the vessels in service on the lifeline Shetland and Orkney ferry services are over 40 years old and subject to increasing breakdowns and escalating maintenance costs that severely impacting service reliability and resilience. It calls for a managed renewal of the fleet while there is still time, and urges the Scottish government to learn from the disastrous consequences of its delayed vessel replacement programme on the Western Isles and Clyde routes.
After passing the motion, the STUC will express serious concern over the deteriorating state of the ferry fleet serving Shetland and Orkney to the Scottish government and will urge ministers to prioritise the immediate replacement of ageing vessels with a modern, fit-for-purpose fleet.
Proposing the motion, Mr Mudie said: ‘These services underpin island life. Businesses, emergency services, fishing, agriculture, even rockets, rely on a regular, functioning service. Imagine losing someone you love to an accident when they could have been saved if not for the ferry being out.
‘The Scottish government needs to act now to ensure northern island communities are not abandoned, and they need to learn the lessons from the mistakes on the Western Isles and take action to replace these ageing vessels.’
Decarbonisation
Nautilus director of organising Martyn Gray moved Motion 26, 'Delivering Alternative fuels for decarbonising Maritime and wider networks in Scotland', which was also passed unanimously.
It commits STUC to urge the Scottish government to invest in the development of infrastructure for alternative fuels; provide financial incentives to support the uptake of alternative fuel technology; work with industry and training providers to develop training programmes for the workforce of the future; and advocate for clear and consistent regulations at both national and international levels. Further, to support Nautilus International in promoting the importance of a Just Transition that ensures a fair deal for maritime professionals and all workers in the transport sector.
‘It’s about ensuring infrastructure is reflective of needs and is fit for the future,’ Mr Grey told STUC Congress. ‘In shipping, it’s about having the process capability to commercially support LNG, LPG, methanol, hydrogen and other alternative fuels that have lower, and in some instances no, carbon impact.
‘It’s about jobs: jobs in Scotland; jobs for building the infrastructure for decarbonisation; skills for moving towards low- and no-carbon transport, and supporting a sustainable shift towards those technologies. It's about planning, not banning, and crucially it’s about underpinning an industrial evolution that is worker-led and leaves no worker or community behind.’
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