A £250,000 contract has been awarded to a global firm with a manufacturing base in Dalgety Bay.

Norwegian-headquartered Kongsberg Maritime has secured a tender to upgrade the control system on the MV Lochnevis ferry, which sails to the Small Isles.

A world leader in marine technology, the company will carry out the work on the ferry operated by CalMac Ferries.

Alex Cross, head of engineering performance and policy for CalMac, said: “We look forward to working with Kongsberg on this project, which will involve upgrading obsolete systems.

"All of the work will be carried out while the vessels are in dry dock for scheduled annual maintenance so services will not be affected."

The contract award notice on the Public Contracts Scotland website states Kongsberg Maritime was awarded the contract “without prior publication of a call for competition in the Official Journal of the European Union”.

It says this bypassing is justified because “Kongsberg now own Rolls Royce Marine who are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for the existing stabiliser control systems", the notice said.

“Kongsberg have a direct upgrade solution. Status of existing installation and associated as-built documentation presents a considerable business risk if we do not utilise the OEM."

Kongsberg manufacture stabilisers and naval steering gear at its Dalgety Bay base at Hillend Industrial Park.

The company specialise in the development and delivery of integrated vessel concepts for traditional merchant vessels, ROPAX and fishing vessels, as well as offshore and research vessels and offshore installations.

Kongsberg Maritime supplies products and systems for advanced mapping and surveying, sonars, underwater communication, marine robotics (unmanned surface vessels and autonomous underwater vehicles), and deliver deck machinery, propulsion, electrical, automation and control solutions.