Launching the UK's first fully electric ferry
Harnessing tidal and solar energy on the Isle of Wight
Introducing shore power facilities
Electrifying our existing small ferries
Introducing an all-electric, high speed catamaran
Creating an electric vehicle charging bank
Installing solar panels and living walls
Our current initiatives

Going for zero

Our steps to net-zero carbon emissions

At Wightlink, we care deeply about the impact every one of our sailings, every vehicle boarding our ferries and every day of activity at our ports has on the environment. Climate change is happening and we want to be part of the solution.

That’s why we have the vision of removing 25,000 tonnes of carbon per year by 2030, delivering on our pledge of net zero emissions within the next decade . It’s an ambitious target but something we’re confident we can achieve if funding challenges can be overcome. And here’s how we plan on doing it.

We've reduced our carbon footprint by 33% since 2007
99% of our waste is recycled or used to produce electricity
6 miles is the average distance from our local suppliers

Launching the UK's first fully electric ferry Harnessing tidal and solar energy on the Isle of Wight Introducing shore power facilities Electrifying our existing small ferries Introducing an all-electric, high speed catamaran Creating an electric vehicle charging bank Installing solar panels and living walls Our current initiatives

Launching the UK's first fully electric ferry

We’re drawing up specifications for our next new ferry, which we’re hoping will use battery electric power to an even greater extent than Victoria of Wight, already the greenest ferry to serve the Isle of Wight.

On our Portsmouth - Fishbourne route
Will remove 7,500 tonnes of carbon per year

Explore our plans for a new ferry

Harnessing tidal and solar energy on the Isle of Wight

In order to help power our new electric ferry, we want to take advantage of tidal and solar energy created on and around the the Isle of Wight.

Across the Isle of Wight and Solent
Tidal and solar energy, plus new shore power facilities at our ports, which can help to remove 23,000 tonnes of carbon per year

Introducing shore power facilities

By installing new charging point technology at our ports, we’ll be able to keep our new electric ferry on the go. Our goal is to lead the UK when it comes to shore power facilities designed to keep large electric vehicle ferries on the move.

At all our ports
New shore power facilities at our ports, plus tidal and solar energy, which can help to remove 23,000 tonnes of carbon per year

CEO Keith Greenfield discusses our Going For Zero ambitions

Electrifying our existing small ferries

Our goal is to create a zero-emission vehicle ferry service between Lymington in Hampshire and Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. It means redesigning existing ferries that operate on the route so that eventually they can run solely on electricity.

On our Lymington - Yarmouth route
Will remove 3,500 tonnes of carbon per year

Introducing an all-electric, high speed catamaran

We want to electrify our Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head route by building an all-electric, high speed catamaran. It’d make the route the UK’s first all-electric fast passenger ferry service, and we’d hope to build the new catamaran on the Isle of Wight.

On our Portsmouth Harbour - Ryde Pier Head route
Will remove 2,000 tonnes of carbon per year

Captain Sam Mitchell discusses our green credentials and plans for the future

Creating an electric vehicle charging bank

We would like to install an electric vehicle charging bank so we can provide Portsmouth with a public rapid charging hub. We already have EV charging stations at four of our six ports and we want to take that one step further.

At our Portsmouth Gunwharf Head Office
Will encourage our colleagues and customers to use electric vehicles, thus removing carbon from our fleet, ports and offices

Installing solar panels and living walls

To improve biodiversity and air quality around our ports, we’d like to install a living wall at our Head Office in Portsmouth Gunwharf. We are also looking into putting up solar panels across the port to provide a renewable energy source.

At our Portsmouth Gunwharf Head Office
Will remove carbon from our ports and offices

Our current initiatives

We may have big ambitions for the future, but that doesn’t mean we’re not already doing our bit at the moment. Alongside the introduction of our hybrid-energy ferry, Victoria of Wight, in 2018, we made a number of environmental commitments to the sea, land and air around us. You can see some of our successes in the gallery below.

See more on our current environmental initiatives

Our environmental successes so far