Over the last few months Wightlink has been working up plans for two new vessels to replace two of its ferries on the Lymington/Yarmouth route. These plans are the result of a working party which was made up of staff from the route, various managers and representatives from Hart Fenton Naval Architects.

Staff Open Days were held in Lymington and Portsmouth recently where copies of the plans for the new ferries were displayed, together with models of the proposed new design and the existing ships. The models clearly demonstrated the flexibility of the new vessels to carry a greater and more varied traffic load within a footprint that is only marginally larger than the current vessels, and with the same draft.

The principal characteristics of the new vessels are:

• Length 62.40 Metres

• Beam 16.00 Metres

• Draft 2.30 Metres

• Service Speed 10-12 Knots

• Passenger Capacity 360

• Vehicle Capacity 65 Cars

Throughout August tenders were sought from a number of European shipyards which have the capacity to build the new ships and were able to offer delivery in the first half of 2008.

Following visits to certain yards made throughout September and, as a result of further technical discussions, it is expected that an order will be placed with a Croatian yard. Further information on the specific yard will be released once Letters of Intent have been signed.

ENDS

16th October 2006

Notes to Editors

• Wightlink is the largest independent ferry and port operator in the UK
• The company operates 8 car ferries and 3 FastCats
• 5.7 million passengers were carried in 2005
• 1.2 million cars, 160,000 trucks and 19,000 coaches were carried in 2005
• The company employs some 600 staff

For further 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