Red Jet 6 crossing the solent | |
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | MV Red Jet 6 |
Operator | Red Funnel |
Ordered | 2015 |
Builder | Shemara Refit LLP |
Launched | May 2016 |
In service | July 2016 |
Identification |
|
Status | In service |
Notes | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Catamaran ferry |
Tonnage | 363 GT |
Length | 41.12 m (134 ft 11 in) |
Beam | 10.87 m (35 ft 8 in) |
Draught | 1.30 m (4 ft 3 in) |
Propulsion | 4 x MTU 10V 2000 M72 (1200hp ea) driving MJP500 water jets |
Speed | |
Capacity | 275 |
Crew | max 4 |
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.
Red Funnel announced in May 2015 that they had placed an order for the £6 million vessel with Shemara Refit LLP of East Cowes, making Red Jet 6 the first high-speed ferry built in the UK in fifteen years. Red Jet 6 was constructed in East Cowes's former aircraft hangar, originally built for the Saunders-Roe aircraft company. She entered service in the summer of 2016. [1]
Red Jet 6 is 41.12 metres (134 ft 11 in) long, with a passenger capacity of 275. She is powered by four MTU series 2000 diesel engines, each powering a waterjet for propulsion and steering giving a service speed of 38 knots (44 mph; 70 km/h), allowing a crossing time of 23 minutes. She can operate with one engine out with only a minor reduction in speed. [1] [2]
Red Jet 6 was named by the Princess Royal at a ceremony at East Cowes on 4 July 2016. [3]
On 29 June 2017, Red Jet 6 set a new record for the circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight by multihulls, starting and finishing at the Royal Yacht Squadron starting line at Cowes, taking 1hr, 17mins, 17secs at an average speed of 39.42 knots (73.01 km/h; 45.36 mph). [4]
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.
Saunders-Roe Limited, also known as Saro, was a British aerospace and marine-engineering company based at Columbine Works, East Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Shun Tak–China Travel Ship Management Limited, doing business as TurboJET, is a ferry company based in Hong Kong. The company was established from the joint venture between Shun Tak Holdings and China Travel International Investment Hong Kong in July 1999. It operates hydrofoil and high-speed ferry services between Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta area.
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. It also runs the ferry between Southampton and Hythe.
The HSC High Speed Jet is a 74 m (243 ft) ocean-going catamaran built in 1990 by Incat for Hoverspeed and currently owned by Seajets. In 1990, as Hoverspeed Great Britain, she took the Hales Trophy for the fastest eastbound transatlantic journey, making the run, without passengers, in three days, seven hours and fifty-four minutes, averaging 36.6 knots.
Cotai Water Jet is a company that operates high-speed ferry services between the special administrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong. It is one of the two companies operating high-speed ferry services between the two territories – the other one being TurboJET.
Macao Dragon Company Limited was a start-up ferry company that offered services between the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal, in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, and the Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal in Taipa, Macau. It operated four 65m and 63m highspeed catamarans vessels powered by MTU Friedrichshafen engines using waterjet propulsion, which could accommodate up to 1,200 passengers.
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.
MV Red Osprey 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.
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 Schiopparello Jet is a passenger catamaran ferry, formerly known as Bo Hengy and Red Jet 5. She operates on routes from Piombino to the Tuscan archipelago on behalf of ferry operator Toremar. She was built in 1999.
MV Red Jet 3 is a passenger catamaran ferry formerly operated by Red Funnel on their route from Southampton to Cowes on the Isle of Wight along with sister ships Red Jet 4, Red Jet 5 and Red Jet 6. She was built by FB Marine on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom at a cost of £2.73 million and entered service in 1998. The ship reached a speed of 37.4 knots during a publicity cruise on 14 July 1998 before entering into regular service on 27 July 1998. This entry into service meant that the older Shearwater 5 and Shearwater 6 hydrofoils were no longer needed to provide backup for the Red Funnel high speed service and they were withdrawn. The high speed fleet then consisted of Red Jet 1, Red Jet 2 and Red Jet 3.
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.
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 Red Jet 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.
PS Gracie Fields built in 1936, was the last paddle steamer built for Red Funnel as a ferry and excursion steamer. She ran on the Southampton-Cowes route until the outbreak of World War II, when she was requisitioned and served as HMS Gracie Fields as a minesweeper. After successfully evacuating troops from the Dunkirk beaches, she was seriously damaged by an aircraft bomb on 29 May 1940, and sank the following morning.
Red Jet 1 was a high speed catamaran passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She was built by FB Marine in 1991 and was the first waterjet propelled craft to operate on the route.
Red Jet 2 was a high speed catamaran passenger ferry operated by Red Funnel between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She was built by FB Marine in 1991. She is identical to her sister ship, Red Jet 1.
MV Cowes Castle was a car ferry operated by Red Funnel between Southampton and Cowes/East Cowes. Subsequently, sold to Jadrolinija in 1994 for further service in Croatia. She was scrapped in 2008.