UK-based Wight Shipyard has secured an order to build two fast passenger ferries, with 170 capacities each, for MBNA Thames Clippers.
To be built with an investment of over £6.3m, both the ferries will be delivered by next year, with plan to enter service the same year.
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MBNA Thames Clippers will deploy the ferries in its river bus service, operating in central London, UK.
Wight Shipyard said that the order would help create 75 new jobs across the UK’s Isle of Wight and London.
Additionally, more than 100 businesses in the south of England will be involved in the ferry building project.
Wight Shipyard CEO Peter Morton said: "Wight Shipyard (formally Shemara Refit) is delighted to be awarded the contract to build two new 35m high speed ferries for MBNA Thames Clippers. The company operates a large fleet of high profile ferries on the River Thames and this new order signifies that use of the river as a means of commuter transport is growing quickly.
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By GlobalData"We are particularly pleased that these are the first high-speed ferries to be built for the company in England as in the past all new MBNA Thames Clippers fast craft have been built in Australia.
“Having successfully completed the 40m Red Jet 6 for the Red Funnel Group we are confident that we will deliver high-quality ferries for MBNA Thames Clippers and look forward to a long partnership with them.”
Last year, MBNA Thames Clippers added two new boats into its fleet.
With the addition of the newly ordered ferries, the company aims to increase its fleet capacity by 14%.
Image: MBNA Thames Clippers currently operates river bus service in central London, UK. Photo: courtesy of Wight Shipyard Co Ltd.
