Royal naming for new £7m hi-speed flagshipÂ
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall officially named Red Funnel's new flagship Red Jet 7 at a ceremony on Tuesday.Â
The Right Reverend Christopher Foster, Lord Bishop of Portsmouth, also blessed the ship at the event in Cowes.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdRed Jet 7 was built in East Cowes by Wight Shipyard Co through a £7m investment by Red Funnel in its Southampton to West Cowes route. This follows the success of sister ship Red Jet 6.Â
Peter Morton, CEO of Wight Shipyard, said: '˜Red Jet  7 demonstrates that we can build technically advanced high-speed ferries that are among the best in the world.'Â
Fran Collins, Red Funnel's CEO, said: '˜The arrival of Red Jet 7 continues to enhance our fleet and gives customers an unrivalled travel experience.'Â Â
Red Jet 7 can reach 39 knots (44.9 mph) and uses waterjets rather than propellers to aid manoeuvrability. It has 275 seats,  four wheelchair spaces, USB charging points and free wi-fi, plus six LED TVs.Â