Bringing it back home

摘要

Shemara Refit's ambition to bring sustainable fast ferry construction back to the UK (see Ship & Boat International July/August 2016, pages 60-62) has been realised, with the group having secured a contract to produce two new 35m-long boats for London-based operator MBNA Thames Clippers, in what is being hailed as the UK's biggest domestic ferry order in more than 25 years. The Shemara Refit team, which was responsible for the construction of Red Funnels 41m, 279-pax Red Jet 6 (ibid, pages 60-62), officially rebranded itself the Wight Shipyard Co. Ltd (WSC) in September. The company changed its moniker shortly after purchasing boatbuilder Southampton Marine Services (SMS), which will now handle steel vessel construction and motor yacht restoration, while WSC concentrates on fast ferry and aluminium vessel production.