EIR/202400442162 · FOI/EIR · partially withheld
Second hand tonnage on the Northern Isles Ferry Service: EIR release
Information requested
Please could I request information on vessels considered as possible second hand tonnage on the Northern Isles Ferry Service. Since January 2021, please could you provide a list of any vessel that Transport Scotland/CMAL/Serco NorthLink has identified as potential second hand tonnage for the Northern Isles Ferry service (both freight and passenger services). For each vessel, please tell me what actions were taken to investigate their suitability for the service. For each vessel, please state what, if any, financial offer was made. For each vessel, please also tell me what issue prevented it from being brought in for use on the service.
Response
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in an attachment.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the name of the vessels, and the financial offer made for each vessel from the information you have requested because an exception under regulation 10(5)(e) (confidentiality of commercial information) of the EIRs applies to that information.
An exception under regulation 10(5)(e) - Confidentiality of commercial or industrial information of the EIRs applies to some of the information you have requested.
This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of open and transparent government, and to inform public debate. However, this is outweighed by the strong public interest in maintaining the right to confidentiality of commercial or industrial information between CMAL and the owner of the vessels for sale, including where commercial information is shared in confidence with the Scottish Government.
Transport Scotland will continue to task CMAL, as the procuring authority, with sourcing second hand tonnage for the Northern Isles Route.
About FOI
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Detected exemption language
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the name of the vessels, and the financial offer made for each vessel from the information you have requested because an exception under regulation 10(5)(e) (confidentiality of commercial information) of the EIRs applies to that information. An exception under regulation 10(5)(e) - Confidentiality of commercial or industrial information of the EIRs applies to some of the information you have requested.