CALMAC Ferries Ltd has submitted its final bid for a £1 billion contract to be the operator of the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS).

The company, which is synonymous with ferry services on the west coast of Scotland, is the current operator of the routes under a contract with Scottish Ministers, which expires in September. The Scottish Government’s transport agency, Transport Scotland, has been running a competitive process to select a provider of the services from October 1 2016 for a period of up to eight years.

CalMac is up against one other bidder for the £1 billion contract with ministers expected to decide between the two bids before the end of May.

Managing director of CalMac Ferries Ltd, Martin Dorchester, said: “I believe the bid we submitted last week is an outstanding piece of work and makes a compelling case for CalMac to win this hugely important contract. I’m confident we will be the clear winner when a decision is reached in May and, if so, I’m determined that we’ll deliver our best service levels yet.

“We’re very proud of CalMac’s rich heritage, but I’m even prouder of the internationally-recognised, customer-focused, ambitious, multi-award winning company we’ve become. Across the network our staff and crews work tirelessly to provide an efficient, reliable, and modern service to the individuals and communities who depend upon us every day.

“CalMac will always put the lifeline ferry services and the needs of the remote communities we serve above any commercial concerns. Nobody knows these routes better than us and providing 130,000 sailings a year in some of the most challenging waters in Europe is impressive by any standards. I believe our experience of these routes makes CalMac the best qualified operator of them now and in the future.”