It’s HMS Indy!
Yours for £95k, this leaky old tub left to rot at shipyard nationalised by Scots Government ... a sorry symbol of another SNP shambles
IN its prime it would have carried wealthy passengers across the world’s oceans in elegant splendour.
But much like the nationalised shipyard selling it, this rather faded superyacht has seen much better days.
Owned by the Scottish Government, the rundown vessel was acquired by the SNP-led administration as part of its purchase of the troubled Ferguson Marine shipyard in 2019.
The new management say they do not know how the boat came to be at the Clyde yard, ‘have no purpose’ for it, and have decided to sell it for £95,000 instead.
But potential buyers face a challenge. The 82ft vessel requires ‘complete renovation and restoration’, and is ‘ not currently in a condition which will allow immediate relaunch, recommission or operation of systems’.
Launched in 1952 as Anahita V, the ‘ gentleman’s motor yacht’ was designed and built by Dutch company Feadship.
Constructed with a teak plank and metal structure, the yacht has a master suite, two guest suites, two deck saloons, wheelhouse, galley, skipper’s cabin and a threeberth crew cabin.
At the time of launch it was the largest yacht made by the globally renowned firm.
The boat spent the early part of its life navigating the east coast of the United States, which was enjoying a post-war boom. For a time, the vessel was berthed in California and cruised between San Diego and Mexico.
The yacht is then said to have been ‘seized by the US authorities’ for ‘undeclared importations’ and spent several years in federal ownership before being auctioned in the 1980s.
It was privately owned for 30 years before being sold again to an owner who wanted to restore it.
Some time after this, the yacht came to the Scottish yard. But it is now in need of a considerable amount of TLC.
Despite being entrusted with two multi- million- pound contracts for ferries, the Scottish Government- owned shipyard does not have ‘ the resource or tools’ to restore the vessel.
Tim Hair, turnaround director at Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow), said: ‘It is part of the inventory of assets compiled when the shipyard went into administration.
‘We do not know why it was purchased and have no reason to keep the vessel. Given its teak construction, we don’t have the resources or tools within the shipyard to renovate it. The best course of action is to sell it.
‘Perhaps someone can bring what was once a stylish and elegant yacht back into service.’
The Scottish Government has faced fierce criticism over its handling of the botched CalMac ferries contract.
A row between the previous operator of the site, Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited, and Scottish Government- owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited led to the company plunging into administration – with thenfinance secretary Derek Mackay nationalising the yard last year.
The dispute concerned the construction of two ferries under a £97million fixed-price contract.
Earlier this year, it emerged the total bill for the two vessels and nationalisation of the yard is likely to soar to £330million.
Opposition parties have claimed the ‘ferry fiasco strikes at the very heart of the incompetence’ of the SNP Government.
‘It is part of the inventory’