Cammell Laird recently staged the ‘float off’ from its Merseyside shipyard of a new £10 million ferry it has built for Isle of Wight ferry operator Red Funnel (www.redfunnel.co.uk).

The Red Kestrel, a new freight-only RoRo vessel, will operate between Southampton and the Isle of Wight and will officially enter service in May, following trials and a training period.

The launch event marked the debut of Red Funnel’s first dedicated RoRo freight ship since the company’s inception almost 200 years ago.

The company says Red Kestrel highlights its commitment to British shipbuilding and engineering, adding to a history of investing in UK shipyards following delivery of its high-speed ferries Red Jet 6 and Red Jet 7 from an Isle of Wight-based shipyard in recent years.

Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel, said: “The addition of a new ship is always an exciting time for everyone in the company and we look forward to taking delivery in April.

"We are thrilled that Red Kestrel will not only increase our total capacity and enhance convenience for our cross-Solent customers but also help support the revival of world-class shipbuilding in this country.

"It’s a very special feeling for all of us and we’re in good hands with Cammell Laird. They have been a brilliant partner and we are very grateful for all their tremendous work.”

Tony Graham, Cammell Laird chief operating officer (www.clbh.co.uk), said: “Cammell Laird would like to thank Red Funnel for placing its trust in us to build this ‘state of the art’ ferry.

"We are especially proud to be working for a British ferry company, winning the contract against international competition.

Today marks an important milestone in the project and we are proud to see the Red Kestrel join a collection of ferries that Cammell Laird has built in recent years.

“Shipbuilding is back in a serious way on the Mersey and it has been brilliant to see the Red Kestrel being built alongside the iconic RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is the largest commercial vessel built in Britain for a generation.

"Cammell Laird sees a big market in ferry repair, conversion and new build and we will be showcasing our work on the Red Kestrel at the Nor Shipping trade fair in Oslo later this year.”

He added: “It is tremendous to see more ship owners and ferry operators choosing to build in the UK. This is very much in line with the Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, which aims to recalibrate British shipbuilding as a major job and wealth creator now and into the future.”

The Red Kestrel project used 45 British supply chain businesses and generated 3,000 man hours of work for Cammell Laird’s apprentices.

The company employed 200 direct workers, 200 sub-contractors and 10 apprentices on the contract.