Red Funnel’s Red Jet 7 due to enter the water at the end of May

The Solent’s newest high speed ferry is due to enter the water for the first time at the end of this month.

Red Funnel’s £7 million Red Jet 7, under construction by Wight Shipyard in East Cowes, is taking shape says the ferry operator.

The passenger accommodation is already mounted on the two hulls and the specialist job of installing the four engines, generators and waterjets is almost complete.

The bridge is also taking shape with most of the electronic equipment, control systems and touch screens now in situ and ready for testing.

A specialist Isle of Wight based contractor is also about to start the painstaking job of vinyl wrapping the superstructure in the company livery.

Once in the water, Red Jet 7 will remain alongside at Wight Shipyard Co during the commissioning of equipment and systems.

Sea trials and crew training are scheduled to commence towards the end of June and the ship will be named the following month.

Red Funnel has reported record results for the early May bank holiday.

Passengers were up 16% compared to 2017. Private cars were also up compared to last year, with 18 per cent more vehicles carried on bank holiday Monday.

Commenting on the weekend, Jonathan Green, marketing and communications director for Red Funnel says: “We are pleased to see this lift in carryings after the poor weather over the Easter holidays. Increasingly, people find travelling to the Isle of Wight from Southampton, Hampshire and the New Forest easier and quicker than driving to other south coast destinations and this is helping to drive future day-trip and short-break bookings in May and June.”