Latest marine industry news from Scotland including dealer networks, company expansions, wrecks and marine tourism.
Ronnie Rusack, who dedicated half a century to the revival of Scottish canals, protecting the historic assets and opening them up again to the public, a role he fulfilled alongside his day job of running the award-winning pub while also raising many thousands of pounds for charity, has died aged 72. In 1971 Rusack was […]
The Scottish Government has announced a £2.5m Covid-19 support package for the marine, boating and outdoor tourism sector. Sail Scotland and the outdoor tourism group Wild Scotland have secured a £2.5m re-start grant scheme aimed at supporting businesses through the high expenditure period of recommissioning vessels, visitor moorings and visitor pontoons for the 2021 season. […]
An American billionaire has parted with a five-figure sum of cash to help keep a historic Scottish ship’s hull above water for generations to come, according to The Scotsman. Hair products entrepreneur, John Paul DeJoria has donated £15,000 to the Scottish Maritime Museum for the restoration of the MV Kyles, the oldest Clyde-built vessel still afloat. The […]
Dale McLaughlan, who crossed the Irish Sea from Scotland to the Isle of Man “on a jet ski” to visit his girlfriend, has been jailed for breaching Covid-19 laws, according to BBC News. On Friday, determined to see her despite coronavirus rules banning non-residents from entering the island without special permission, he made the four-and-a-half-hour […]
A vintage superyacht found in storage at a nationalised shipyard is being sold off by the Scottish government. The 25m (82ft) vessel was discovered after ministers took over the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow, which went into administration in 2019, reports the BBC. Built by a Dutch firm in 1952, it remains unclear how the […]
Over £19m of improvement works are set to get underway across Scotland’s canals this winter. The capital investment from Scottish Government will see major works and essential upgrades take place throughout the canal network. This planned investment is part of Scottish Canals’ Asset Management Strategy 2018-30, which prioritises improvements on all canal infrastructure in Scotland, […]
The Royal Navy has kept close watch on two Russian ships operating off the east coast of Scotland. Patrol ship HMS Tyne has been monitoring the actions of intelligence-gathering vessel Viktor Leonov and her supporting tanker Sergey Osipov which have been sailing around the Moray Firth. But it seems nothing too sinister is occurring as […]
The Scottish Government has awarded £1m of additional funding to Scottish Canals to undertake vital dredging works in the Highlands this winter. Dredging will take place across the Caledonian and Crinan Canals from January 2021, ensuring these working heritage structures remain vibrant and busy and continuing to support local jobs and businesses. Some 20,000 tonnes […]
The pandemic’s effect on adventure tourism in Scotland and emerging global trends within the sector will be explored as part of an online inaugural Adventure Tourism Week. VisitScotland, in partnership with Wild Scotland and Sail Scotland, is running a five-day programme of live webinars to explore Covid-19’s effect on adventure tourism in Scotland and emerging […]
A change of direction – inspired by social distancing – meant a change of boat for Clyde Charters, and now the Greenock-based company is reaping the unexpected benefits. Owner Ronnie Doolan told the Greenock Telegraph that his business was suffering due to Covid-19. Traditionally, Clyde Charters offered private luxury days out on its motor yacht. […]
More than £20,000 has been raised for a Second World War seaplane which suffered an engine failure as it attempted to take off from the Loch Ness, according to the Daily Mail. The PBY Catalina flying boat named ‘Miss Pick Up’ had landed on the freshwater loch, drifting helplessly, when her starboard engine failed to re-start. The […]