A message from John Wood: Introducing our new fast ferry cutting journey times and increasing capacity to Scilly
Hello everyone. I am delighted to announce that we have now secured a fast ferry to run the Penzance to St Mary’s route in time for the Summer season – and here she is!
After Christmas, she will be making her way to the UK stopping in our Belfast yard to receive her new “Scilly Ferries” colours before entering service as planned in early May 2024.
Our new vessel will be capable of accommodating over 400 passengers and a substantial amount of daily freight on and off the islands.
Journey times are expected to be approximately 90 minutes, with a quick and efficient turnaround at each end. At least two round-trip sailings per day are expected.
Further details on port arrangements and timetables will follow in the New Year as well as being able to purchase tickets online and in person from our St Mary’s office. In the meantime, this new website has more details about the new vessel.
We have had our shipyard teams onboard this week to prepare for her transit to the UK and as we progress with developing our plans, further details of the internal configuration and onboard services will be provided.
In relation to our freight service offering, KMS’s existing two vessels have been expanded with the addition of two sister vessels. Delivery of the first has been accepted and the second will be early in the New Year – further details will be provided in due course. It is our plan for next winter to always (subject to weather) have a small marine passenger service in operation and not to leave islanders stranded due to air operations being cancelled.
Having looked at numerous island ferry operations around the globe, we believe our Scilly Ferries offering will be dynamic from booking through to departure from the vessel, in what will be the start of the future of sea travel to and from Scilly. I look forward to joining everyone on the first crossing in a few months for what we hope will be a transformational experience and the introduction of first-class customer service!
Until then, I look forward to my next visit early in 2024. Merry Christmas and best wishes for what is going to be an exciting 2024!
John Wood, Harland & Wolff CEO