Giving creatures a home
Ferry safaris
Solent oysters make a comeback
Respecting the coastline
Wastewater

Protecting the environment

Our eco commitments to the sea

As a ferry company, we can play a big part in looking after the Solent. When we’re sailing, we travel through many protected habitats, so our crews will always do their bit to be as eco-friendly as possible.

We’ve also teamed up with leading conservation organisations who are making a difference to the Solent’s marine environment.

Our combined work includes improving habitats for coastal wildlife and helping educate our customers about life in and around the Solent. Find out more about what we’re up to below.

Giving creatures a home

Inspired by Artecology on the Isle of Wight, we have installed seven of its vertipools on a harbour wall in our Fishbourne port. These artificial rockpools are already attracting more than 30 marine species and are helping to educate local people about biodiversity.

See our vertipools

School children looking at artificial rockpools at Wightlink's Fishbourne port on Isle of Wight

Ferry safaris

We regularly welcome experts and volunteers from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to hold interactive ‘roadshows’ onboard ferries to highlight the wealth of marine life beneath our ships. It’s all part of their fantastic Secrets of the Solent initiative, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Discover the Secrets of the Solent

Solent oysters make a comeback

We are teaming up with the Blue Marine Foundation to install oyster cages at our Lymington port as part of its Solent Oyster Restoration Project. They aim to increase the population of native oysters in the Solent to five million throughout the campaign.

The oyster project explained

Respecting the coastline

Our Captains always respect the Solent’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest and other protected areas while our ferries are at sea or at anchor.

Wastewater

We never discharge dirty water into the Solent. Our FastCats pump wastewater ashore into wastewater pipes to be treated and our car ferries have their own on-board wastewater treatment facilities.

Our environmental commitments to the air

Clean air is a huge, worldwide issue and we’re spreading the message by encouraging sustainable travel. See what we’re doing to help protect the air we breathe.

Find out more

Our environmental commitments to the land

We’re continually looking for ways to reduce our footprint by making effective use of resources, reusing where possible and recycling whenever we can.