If the former Cunard liner QE2 is to be brought back to the Clyde and Greenock from Dubai quite a lot has to be achieved before such a voyage can be contemplated
The key first stage is establishing whether the vessel, currently docked in Dubai, is for sale.
To undertake this task and find out the answers, a new working group has been established
Representatives of Scottish Development International based in Dubai will be tasked with making contact with the Dubai authorities, believed to still be owners of the company which purchased the former Cunard liner.
The answer to that key question will dictate the next actions of the working group, which was established after correspondence between Inverclyde Council Leader, Councillor Stephen McCabe, and Scottish Government Tourism Minister, Fergus Ewing, MSP.
It is expected that an examination of the current condition of the vessel would require to take place prior to a feasibility study/business plan being created to identify any potential opportunities for the ship on the Clyde.
Chairing the working group was Inverclyde Council’s Environment and Regeneration Director and Chief executive of Riverside Inverclyde, Aubrey Fawcett.
He said: “The current state of the QE2 has not been established beyond the initial reports and there has been silence from the key contacts in Dubai on whether it is even up for sale. We need to establish that and having the local contacts of Scottish Enterprise through Scottish Development International’s offices in Dubai will help to establish a clear picture. The working group are in agreement that the QE2 is a strong symbol of Scottish maritime history and that it is shocking to see the state she is in. Also, having the right partners around the table who can make a clear commitment to establishing the facts and examining whether there is a business case is the right course of action.”
The working group includes representatives from
- Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire councils
- Riverside Inverclyde
- The Scottish Government
- VisitScotland
- Scottish Enterprise
- Scottish Development International
For further information e-mail – george.barbour@inverclyde.gov.uk