Wightlink looks set to order a new £45million hybrid ferry for its Fishbourne-Portsmouth route within the next 12 months, moving away from earlier ambitions to introduce a fully electric vessel.
The cross-Solent operator previously announced plans, in 2021, to introduce a fully electric ferry on the busy route, but those proposals have now been reconsidered.
Ferry boss Katy Taylor has confirmed that a lack of grid capacity means that a fully electric ferry is not currently viable, especially within the required timeframe.
The time pressure comes as St Faith, which is around 36 years old, is now beyond the typical lifespan for a car ferry, making replacement increasingly necessary.
Speaking to Island Echo last week, Katy Taylor said:
“One of the things we were waiting on was to see whether we could go all electric, but essentially we have ruled that out for now because there isn’t sufficient grid capacity. That’s not expected to be resolved until around 2037, and that’s a long time away when we have a ship that needs replacing much sooner than that.
“The plan has always been to replace her [St Faith], but that decision has been delayed by factors including COVID and the wider economic situation.
“A new ship costs in the region of £45million, so it’s about making sure we can afford it, that we need it, and that it’s the right investment for the future.
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The replacement isn’t a done deal though…
Wightlink has indicated that the next 12 months will be critical in determining whether the new vessel can be ordered, with hybrid technology now set to form the next phase of fleet development on the Isle of Wight’s main vehicle route.
Katy warns:
“We would absolutely like to replace her and that is what we are planning for at the moment, but it is not confirmed yet and we are still working through the numbers.”
No specific details about the vessel’s specifications or the exact timeline have been confirmed.
That’s Net Zero up the swanee, don’t tell Ed
Lol.
They have woken up to reality. All electric ferry……..
Like the already broken down electric buses…
Once again kicking the can down the road. They first talked about this in 2021. That is 5 years ago. It will take them at least 1 year to make a decision, and then 2-3 years to design, tender, build and deliver. That would be quick.
The St faith is the only decent boat they have. When ever I book a boat I will always try and book to be on her.
The old ones are the best ones.
Does highbrid mean sometimes it will go and sometimes it won’t
A vestige of common sense there, but Katy needs to step up and put the greedy, money-grabbing shareholders in their place or they won’t have a business to bleed dry. Investment in new ships is fundamental to the business and cannot be kicked down the road forever. That said, the 36 year-old St.Faith is the best, most reliable ship they have, which should tell them something about what they should actually procure.