History | |
---|---|
Name | MV Red Falcon |
Operator | Red Funnel |
Builder | Ferguson Shipbuilders |
Launched | 1994 |
In service | Apr 1994 - Dec 2003, Apr 2004 - Feb 2014 [1] Apr 2014 - |
Identification | IMO number: 9064047 |
Status | Active |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Raptor Class Car Passenger Ferry |
Tonnage | 3,953 GT [1] |
Length | 93.22 m (305.8 ft) |
Beam | 17.5 m (57.4 ft) |
Decks | 5, including 3 vehicle decks |
Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
Capacity | 892 passengers, 220 cars [2] |
MV Red Falcon is a Raptor Class vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She was built by Ferguson Shipbuilders in Port Glasgow.
She first entered service in 1994, being bought new by Red Funnel along with sister ship Red Osprey and as such, has operated the same regular route throughout her life. Between January and March 2004 she underwent modifications by Remontowa in Gdańsk, Poland, in order to increase vehicle capacity by 80 [3] and allow a greater passenger capacity. [4] This involved the lengthening of the ship by 9.6 m (31 ft). [5]
From February to April 2014, Red Falcon was in a drydock at Portsmouth for a major refit costing over £2 million. The refit provides an extra level of passenger accommodation with 55% more seating. The environmental footprint of the vessel was also reduced by installing LED lighting, and recycling facilities. [6] A pair of webcams on top of the ship's bridge were also replaced, and provide footage of the ferry's journey. [7]
On 10 March 2006, Red Falcon collided with the linkspan in Southampton, causing significant damage to the ferry's 'Southampton Side' bow doors. Vehicles, including an ambulance carrying a patient (evacuated by dinghy) had to remain onboard for over eight hours while engineers forced the door open. [8] On 11 November 2008, the Red Falcon was used on an excursion to view Queen Elizabeth 2 leaving Southampton for the final time. [9]
On 29 September 2018 the ferry collided with a 31 ft (9.4 m) motor yacht while approaching East Cowes, injuring two people on the yacht but sustaining no damage herself. Both vessels were travelling from Southampton to Cowes. [10]
On 21 October 2018, the ferry collided with several yachts, sinking one named Greylag, and ran aground on the Isle of Wight while trying to berth at East Cowes. A search and rescue mission was started after people nearby heard 'voices from the water', but this was called off after the voices were attributed to people on a nearby boat calling to the lifeboats in attendance. [11] [12] Heavy fog hampered the search and a helicopter searching the area had to turn back due to low visibility. Lifeboats from Cowes and Calshot were in attendance. [13] Red Falcon was refloated with the assistance of tugs and docked in East Cowes. There were no reported injuries. [14] Greylag, the yacht sunk by Red Falcon, was successfully raised and recovered on 23 October 2018. [15]
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry.
Wightlink is a ferry company operating routes across The Solent between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the south of England. It operates car ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth, and Portsmouth and Fishbourne and a fast passenger-only catamaran between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier. The company is jointly owned by Basalt Infrastructure Partners based in the United Kingdom and Fiera Infrastructure based in Canada.
Red Funnel, the trading name of the Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, is a ferry company that carries passengers, vehicles and freight on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight. High-speed foot passenger catamarans, known as Red Jets, run between Southampton and Cowes, while vehicle ferries run between Southampton and East Cowes.
Ryde Pier is an early 19th century pier serving the town of Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. It is the world's oldest seaside pleasure pier. Ryde Pier Head railway station is at the sea end of the pier, and Ryde Esplanade railway station at the land end, both served by Island Line trains.
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland.
MV Balmoral is a vintage excursion ship owned by MV Balmoral Fund Ltd., a preservation charity. Her principal area of operation is the Bristol Channel, although she also operates day excursions to other parts of the United Kingdom. The Balmoral is included on the National Historic Ships register as part of the National Historic Fleet.
Solent Blue Line Ltd, which trades primarily under the name Bluestar, is a bus operator providing services in south Hampshire. It is a subsidiary of the Go South Coast sector of the Go-Ahead Group.
The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between the two towns was established in 1859 and the crossing is one of the few remaining that has not been replaced by a physical bridge. The service is owned and operated by the Isle of Wight Council, which has run it since 1901. Prior to ownership by the local authority the service was run by The Floating Bridge Company and The Steam Packet Company. The ferry currently used is named No. 6, the sixth to be owned by the Isle of Wight Council, and ninth in total. It was built in 2017 and can carry up to 20 cars. The Cowes floating bridge remains the only way to cross the River Medina between the towns without taking a ten-mile trip via Newport. The current vessel was installed on 14 May 2017, but after a string of technical issues the service was suspended by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and a passenger-only replacement service provided by a small launch. After several months of service suspension and intermittent operation, full service finally resumed early in 2018.
The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. The port has been owned and operated by Associated British Ports since 1982, and is the busiest cruise terminal and second largest container port in the UK. The volume of port traffic categorises Southampton as a Medium-Port City globally.
There are currently three different ferry companies that operate vessels carrying passengers and, on certain routes, vehicles across the Solent, the stretch of sea that separates the Isle of Wight from mainland England. These are Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel.
MV St Faith is a vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Wightlink on its route from Portsmouth to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. As with former sister ship St Cecilia, there were plans to increase St Faith′s capacity by extending her length by 12 metres. Entering service in 1990, St Faith is the second youngest of Wightlink's 'St Class' ships, after St Clare. The name is taken from St Faith's Church, Cowes.
MV Red Eagle is a Raptor Class vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The largest of its class, Red Eagle is the current flagship for Red Funnel.
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MV Red Jet 4 is a passenger catamaran ferry operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, along with sister ships Red Jet 6 and Red Jet 7.
MV Red Jet 6 is a high-speed Catamaran ferry constructed for Red Funnel in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight as the sixth member of the company's expansive Red Jet line of catamarans.
Sis is a car / passenger ferry owned and operated by Jadrolinija in Croatia, where she operates between Zadar and the island of Ugljan. The vessel was previously known as Netley Castle when operated by Red Funnel on services to the Isle of Wight in the UK.
Blue Funnel Group refers to a related set of companies providing boat charter, cruise and ferry services around the Solent and Isle of Wight in vessels up to 500 passengers. The Blue Funnel Cruises operating out of Southampton Port and the Solent and Wightline Cruises operating out of Portsmouth and Cowes as well as Blue Funnel Ferries Hythe Pier, Railway and Ferry operations are all run independently but co-operatively.
MV Red Jet 7 is a British high speed catamaran ferry operated by the ferry company Red Funnel on its Southampton-Cowes route, alongside the company's other current Red Jets 4 and 6. Constructed on site at the Wight Shipyard where Red Jet 6 was also built, it has been built to a similar specification as its predecessor. Red Jet 7 was launched on 6 June 2018 and underwent system tests prior to being placed into service for 24 July 2018, in time for the surge in traffic over Cowes Week.
MV Victoria of Wight is a ship sailing on the Portsmouth to Fishbourne route operated by Wightlink. She entered service on 26 August 2018. Built by the Cemre Shipyard in Yalova for £30 million, she is the newest ship in the fleet and completed Wightlink's £45 million investment in the Portsmouth to Fishbourne route. In addition, upon introduction into service Victoria of Wight became the largest ship in the fleet and the new flagship.
MV Red Kestrel is a freight ferry built by Cammell Laird for Red Funnel for use on its Southampton to East Cowes service. She was launched on 19 February 2019 and entered service in May 2019 after completing her sea trials.
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