WATCH: Spectacular footage of first new Portsmouth to Jersey DFDS ferry service as MV Stena Vinga leaves port

Drone operator Strong Island took shots of MV Stena Vinga leaving Portsmouth International Port this morning, carrying freight and passengers to the Channel Islands. The 125m long vessel, operated by the Danish maritime transport company DFDS, will become a regular feature in the port for years to come.

Today (March 28) marked the beginning of a new route being operated from Portsmouth and Poole in Dorset to Jersey. Previously, Condor/Brittany Ferries ran the shipping between both of the Channel Islands, but now only serves a route to Guernsey.

A war of words between both companies and the government of Jersey flared ahead of the route being launched. Director of on board services, Steve Newbery, told The News: “We’re just going to get our heads down and focus on what the prize is.

“We’ll leave the politics to the politicians. DFDS has a huge maritime history of over 157 years. We’re not newcomers to this, and we hope over the next 20 years, we’ll win over the hearts and minds of the Jersey people.”

Discussing the new route itself, he added: “It’s not everyday that you get to open up a brand new route. We choose it because it’s a natural fit for where we are. We’ve got a big service between Dover and Calais. Our feet are in the English Channel and it’s a natural progression. It’s predominantly a lifeline freight route, but it’s important for tourism as well. We want to be part of the solution for Jersey tourism and increase tourists to The Channel Islands while keeping the freight flowing to the island.”

What is the MV Stena Vinga?

The ferry seen in Portsmouth this morning was constructed in The Netherlands in 2005. She can carry up to 400 passengers and 200 cars. It is registered to the Swedish port of Gothenburg and has a top speed of 18.5 knots.

She weighs 13,906 gross tonnage and has two MaK 9M32 engines. The ship also has the capacity to use shore power, so her engines can be turned off in port to use less carbon dioxide.