Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries, the market leader in cross Solent ferry services, today announced that it has confirmed the order for a third new ferry for the Lymington to Yarmouth route with the Brodogradiliste Kraljevica in Croatia, the company that is building the first two of its new ferries.

The third ferry is due for completion in November 2008 and will enter service on the Lymington to Yarmouth route in early 2009.  The first two new ferries are due to be completed in the spring of 2008 and enter service in time for the height of the summer season next year.

The new R –Class ferries are being built to take over from the existing C-Class ferries. These old ships have to be replaced due to their lack of compliance with modern international ferry regulations which have been introduced over the past few years.

The new ferries have marginally larger dimensions than the existing ships, will be able to carry around 15 more cars and have been specifically designed to operate within the confines of the existing channel in the Lymington River. They will be much more fuel efficient, offer greater flexibility, be more manoeuvrable and have attractive modern passenger facilities on board.

Additionally they have been designed to secure the long-term financial viability of the route and to enable the traffic mix that already uses the route to be transported more efficiently.

Wightlink recently held a competition for the public to choose the names of the new ferries, and this exercise was completed within the last few weeks.  The new names, which are a closely guarded secret, will be released in early November.

Commenting on the decision to confirm the order for the third new ferry for the Lymington to Yarmouth route, Kerry Jackson, Marketing Manager for Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries, said: -

“We are delighted to be able to announce the confirmation of the order for the third of our new R-Class ferries.  We are confident that these new ships will be welcomed by both our regular passengers and those travelling on holiday or business to the Island, and will make the journey a very pleasurable experience.

“They are more comfortable, more efficient and more environmentally friendly than our existing ships and will go a long way to securing the long-term future of this popular ferry crossing to the Isle of Wight.”

ENDS                                                                                           

2nd November 2007

For more information, please contact: -

Kerry Jackson, Marketing Manager, Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries

Tel. 023 9285 5427, e-mail kerryjackson@wightlink.co.uk

or

Christopher Clode at Christopher Clode Public Relations

Tel. 01243 431343, e-mail chris@chrisclodepr.com

Notes to Editors:

Some facts about the new Wightlink Ferries:

• Around 700 tons of steel will be used in the construction of each ship

• Each ship will have four main engines – Volvo D16MHs (6 cylinder, 552 kW)

• Propulsion for each ship will be provided by 2 x Voith Schneider 21 R5/135 propeller units

• Interior design is by LAP Architects of Billericay, Essex

• During their expected lives, each ferry will undertake more than 200,000 trips and will cover more than 750,000 nautical miles.