Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) has issued tenders for the replacement of two ferries to support the Island of Islay.
35 companies issued expressions of interest but only eleven followed through.
Of the eleven this has been whittled down to four shipyards, on in Romania, one in Poland and two in Turkey.
It is not known if any British yards expressed an interest.
What is surprising is that the SNP ultimate controllers of CMAL have not asked or appeared to have involved Ferguson the nationalised Scottish shipyard.
Vic