By
Rebecca Gibson |
Red Funnel’s newest high-speed passenger catamaran, Red Jet 7, has entered the water for the first time at Wight Shipyard Co in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, UK.
Red Jet 7 will remain at Wight Shipyard Co while the team commissions her onboard equipment and systems, before undergoing sea trials towards the end of June. The vessel will be officially named during a traditional maritime christening ceremony at Trinity Parade in Cowes on 24 July 2018 and then join Red Jet 6 and Red Jet 4 on Red Funnel’s flagship Southampton-West Cowes route, increasing passenger capacity by 51%.
The £7 million (US$9.4 million), 275-seat Red Jet 7 was built as a sister to Red Jet 6, which was also constructed by Wight Shipyard Co. The newbuild is powered by generators and four main MTU 2000 series diesel engines, which will minimise fuel consumption and ensure emissions meet International Maritime Organization Tier II regulations. This will make Red Jet 7 one of the greenest ships in Red Funnel’s fleet. In addition, the vessel will have Hamilton DRP-500QD waterjet units, rather than propellers, to aid manoeuvrability and improve stopping power.