Maritime & Marine
The Victoria of Wight at Portsmouth.
Published: August 30, 2023 | Updated: 11th September 2023
Wightlink’s flagship ferry Victoria of Wight has celebrated its fifth anniversary, having carried her first passengers from Portsmouth to Fishbourne in August 2023.
Born out of a £30 million investment, the ship has been instrumental to Wightlink’s development of the cross-Solent route over the years, covering almost 190,000 nautical miles and ferrying almost 4.5 million people.
Captain Sam Mitchell was on the bridge this time five years ago – a moment he still recalls today.
“It was a privilege to be the Master when we carried our first fare-paying passengers”, said Sam.
“She’s a magnificent ship with a hybrid propulsion system that’s more environmentally friendly than most other ferries, and gives our customers comfortable and smooth crossings to and from the Isle of Wight.”
Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield added: “Our hybrid flagship set new standards for comfort and reliability from the moment she joined the fleet.
“Victoria of Wight is England’s first large ferry to combine energy from conventional engines and powerful batteries.
“She’s 33 per cent more fuel-efficient than our next largest ship, St Clare, which means reduced emissions.”
The flagship is representative of the company’s focus in recent decades on sustainability and environmentally friendly initiatives.
It sources supplies from local producers like Briddlesford Dairy and Grace’s Bakery wherever possible and either recycles or produces energy from 99 per cent of its waste.
Wightlink has also partnered with the Blue Marine Foundation and University of Portsmouth on various marine science initiatives – including recent research on local cuttlefish populations.
