Wight Shipyard Co

Wilcarry 504 ready for launch Monday. Not long until Seaworks 2024, please get in touch if you wish to catch up at the show to discuss how we can help with your fleet dockings, refits, maintenance and more.

What a gorgeous day yesterday to go down to the Isle of Wight to visit Wight Shipyard Co! Mars Clipper is getting ready for her maiden journey and the fully electric zero emission cross River Ferry is rapidly taking shape. You can now clearly recognize the outline of the boat as construction progresses at full speed.

https://lnkd.in/egdMFtRv

Earth Clipper is an outstanding example of providing both quick and efficient travel in the UK’s busiest city, whilst more importantly, exceeding environmental expectations. It’s the first zero-emission hybrid electric ferry in the UK, combining both energy storage and hybrid propulsion systems. Built here by our team at Wight Shipyard alongside One2three Naval Architects, we are incredibly proud to have won the ‘Best River Ferry’ Award and will continue our role in actively reducing our carbon footprint.

Another important milestone for Wight Shipyard.. Mars Clipper was launched for the first time today! Mars is the sister ship to both Earth and Celestial Clipper and, once commissioned, will join the rest of the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers in fleet in London to enter into service and begin providing tourists, commuters and city-goers with a low emission, hybrid passenger service through Central London.

Keep your eyes peeled for our feature in February/March’s issue of Maritime Journal! 🛥️ #maritime #maritimeindustry #shippingindustry #shipyard #marine

Another Refit is underway at the Shipyard. Built by Wight Shipyard Cwind Pioneer was launched in 2020. This week it has made a return for some annual maintenace and a freshen up after allmost 4 years of hard graft! Did you know the Pioneer is over 20% more fuel efficient than conventional CTVs running at 24kts on a mile for mile basis. For a typical windfarm situated 30nmi from port, this translates to a reduction of over 110 tonnes of CO2 per vessel, per year, by using the hybrid SES. This figure excludes the savings of the hybrid system, which will allow the vessel to be zero emission ship infield while technicians are carrying out their work on the turbines. Specific figures will be shared once these savings are proven, but initial desk top studies suggest a 30%-50% saving over conventional vessels. We are proud to continue such a strong aftersales relationship with buisnesses after manufacturing them vessels.

Wight Shipyard is most commonly known for boasting the enormous Union Jack, proudly painted across the hangar doors but equally for providing many islanders with great work opportunities over the decades. Did you also know about the invaluable role that the Wight Shipyard played throughout history?…👀 Built in 1935 by Saunders Roe, the Columbine Works was constructed to build amphibious aircraft, and was invaluable when called upon by the RAF to help construct the likes of Sea Otter, Walrus and Lerwick for the war effort. Not long after, the world’s largest metal seaplane was built at the facility to provide luxury, transatlantic travel from Southampton to New York. But, being such a large aircraft, it couldn’t fit within the buildings 50,000 sq. ft footprint and subsequently, had to be completed outside. Known as ‘The Princess’, it proudly left the Solent in August 1952. With the Columbine Works being known for constructing vital forms of transport with unique features, it seemed only right that the first ever hovercraft was built here in 1957. Known as the SR.N1, it took to the water in the summer of 1959. Even today, the hovercraft continues to be an invaluable mode of transportation for people, across the globe. In addition to the construction of amphibious planes and hovercraft, the Columbine Works was also home to the Saunders Roe SR.53, an interceptor aircraft with a mixed-jet and rocket propulsion system. Revolutionary at the time, the aircraft, using its rocket propulsion, would rapidly climb and approach incoming hostile bombers at high speed and then following its attack run, would return to base on jet propulsion. Another highly innovative project was the ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Black Arrow’ space launchers. Both constructed at the Columbine Works and test fired at the Needles, with the Black Arrow being the first and only all-British space launch. Amazingly the ‘Prospero’ satellite that it launched, still orbits the Earth today! Our Union Jack is the world’s largest and was originally painted on our doors in 1977 in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee. Never intended to permanently remain, the painting has remained up ever since, only to be refreshed in 2012, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics. Whilst we are experiencing a period of sustained growth and development and are very much looking to the future, we are equally mindful of reflecting on and honouring the lengthy and pivotal history of the site we occupy. Our aim at Wight Shipyard is to continue that tradition of pioneering innovation of the island, far into the future! #isleofwight #wightshipyard #shipyard #aircraft #hovercraft

Another annual docking complete for Solent and Wightline Cruises Limited 🛠️⚓️ The Wight Shipyard Co 260t travel hoist in full swing 💨 📹 Reece Attrill - Solent Cruises

This beautifully restored 1964 Italian superyacht, Kaléa, has been shortlisted for the Classic Boat Magazine “Restoration of the Year” award. Our team here at Wight Shipyard had the pleasure of working alongside Tim Blackman to ensure Kaléa was restored to such a magnificent standard. Tim and his wife Jo’s visions of soaking up the sun in a generously sized deck saloon was soon to become a reality when they purchased Kaléa in Italy and instantly fell in love. But first, Tim had big visions for the restoration process, and this is where we got on board to lend a helping hand! Whilst the vessel was in the yard, we had the pleasure of overhauling the engine, supplying and fitting a new generator. Lots of the mechanical and electrical aspects of the vessel were also given a new lease of life. With our in-house project management, we helped to coordinate and manage this restoration together to make it a huge success. From the pictures, you can see what a great project this was, with an impressive outcome. Our team here at Wight Shipyard and of course Tim Blackman himself, would hugely appreciate clicking the link below and voting for Kaléa - Tims stunning achievement. https://lnkd.in/gAEXd9Zu