Rival ferry service proposed for Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly might be getting a new, faster and more frequent ferry service to compete with the current Scillonian III service.
(© Haarland and Woolf)
The current daily service, operated by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company for the last 40 years, is the only ferry service from the mainland and a return trip starts at around £80.
Shipbuilders Haarland and Woolf say they will go into direct competition with current operators and run multiple ferry services every day between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The company has revealed plans to construct and manage two ferries on the Penzance to Isles of Scilly route and one inter-island vessel. They had initially aimed to commence operations by spring 2025 but speaking to ITV news have now said they hope to start operating in the summer of 2024.
The company has spent the last three years perfecting the design and cost models for these vessels and has now formally decided to apply for levelling-up funding from the UK government.
They will be making this application in collaboration with approved partners, including local councils. The programme would require Harland & Wolff to secure a license to operate ferries on the Penzance to Isles of Scilly route.
They say the new vessels will slash journey times from the current two hours and 45 minutes to around an hour, with prices also reduced by 20%.
The Chief Executive Officer of Haarland and Woolf, John Wood said: "The point of that is to get 600 people on and off the island a day to improve that capacity and give passengers an option. We will look at the price and plan to charge between 20% and 25% less.”
The current ferry, The Scillonian, has been in service for 46 years and carries more than 110,000 passengers a year.
In a statement the company said: “The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group was pleased to announce earlier this year that we had secured a private finance solution for the replacement of passenger and freight vessels on the lifeline route to the islands which we have operated since 1920.
“We have recently announced our preferred shipbuilder and have a clear strategy and timeline in place which will see our new Scillonian IV passenger ferry and cargo vessel delivered and in service ahead of the 2026 season.
The Group has a proud history, long-term commitment and more than 100 years of experience operating the unique and challenging sea and air routes to the islands.”
For visiting birders the advantages of more frequent departures, quicker journey times and a reduction in cost will be obvious, not to mention a modern vessel design which should help with reducing sea sickness.
28 Sept 2023
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