UK ferry operator Wightlink has revealed that the steel cutting ceremony for its new ship took place at the Cemre shipyard in Yalova, Turkey, on October 4, 2016.
To be deployed on the Fishbourne-Portsmouth route, the new ferry is expected to come into service in summer 2018, according to Wightlink.
The ship is part of Wightlink’s GBP 45 million (USD 55.6 million) Investing for the Future program and will be able to carry more than 1,000 passengers and up to 178 cars, the ferry operator said.
The ferry will use diesel electric hybrid batteries (with marine gas oil) for propulsion and waste heat from the generator engines for heating. The eco-efficient lifts will put power back into the ship’s electrical supply harnessing excess energy generated by the elevators. Together with motion-activated LED lighting, these initiatives are said to lead to a significant reduction in the ferry’s carbon footprint.
The project also includes new two tier boarding ramps at Fishbourne and Portsmouth Gunwharf to enable more efficient loading and unloading at both terminals.
Wightlink’s vessels operate on the three routes connecting the Isle of Wight and the mainland, including Lymington-Yarmouth, Portsmouth-Fishbourne and Portsmouth-Ryde.