A senior executive of the global technology company Wärtsilä has visited Wightlink’s car ferry terminal in Portsmouth and crossed the Solent on St Clare, which is fitted with Wärtsilä engines.
Vice-President of Wärtsilä Marine Solutions Aaron Bresnahan and his colleagues met Chief Executive Keith Greenfield and received an update on the ferry company’s £45million investment in new port facilities and the new flagship Victoria of Wight, which will arrive in the Solent this summer. They also spoke to staff on board Wightlink’s vessels about future developments in green energy.
The latest Wärtsilä hybrid energy engines have been installed in Victoria of Wight. Customers will notice the environmentally friendly ship will be quieter with fewer emissions when she enters service on the Fishbourne route later this year.
Mr Bresnahan said:
“It was very valuable to learn more about Wightlink through discussing issues with managers and crew. The better we understand your operations, the better we can work together with the leading cross-Solent ferry company in the years to come”.
Keith Greenfield added:
“Wärtsilä innovative technology enables us to run reliable and punctual services across the Solent for millions of customers every year. We welcomed this opportunity to exchange notes as we prepare to introduce Victoria of Wight to our fleet”.
