Schiopparello Jet

MV Schiopparello Jet is a passenger catamaran ferry, formerly known as Bo Hengy and Red Jet 5. She operates on routes from Piombino to the Tuscan archipelago on behalf of ferry operator Toremar (Toscana Regionale Marittima). She was built in 1999.

Red Jet 5 departing Southampton.
History
Name
  • 1999-2008: MV Bo Hengy
  • 2009-2016 MV Red Jet 5
  • 2016 onwards: MV Schiopparello Jet
Operator
BuilderPequot River Shipworks, New London, USA
Laid down1999
IdentificationIMO number: 8954415
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeSolent Class Catamaran
Tonnage209 GT
Length32.9 m (107.9 ft)
Beam8.32 m (27.3 ft)
Draught1.25 m (4.1 ft)
Propulsion2 x MTU/DDC 4000 Series 4
Speed38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph)
Capacity187
CrewMax 3

Schiopparello Jet is a sister ship to Red Jet 3, a catamaran designed and built by FBM Marine on the Isle of Wight for operation by Red Funnel. However, unlike her sister ship, she was built in the United States. She is distinguished from her sister by having a sheltered sundeck.[1]

History

Bo Hengy

Built as the Bo Hengy for Bahamas Ferries, the vessel was constructed at the Pequot River Shipworks in New London, Connecticut in 1999. She was retired in 2008. Bahamas Ferries now operates a larger catamaran called Bo Hengy II.

Red Jet 5

Following purchase by Red Funnel the vessel was transported to Southampton by heavy lift ship arriving 11 June 2009.[2] The vessel was then towed to Portchester to be refurbished with an internal layout based on Red Jet 4.[2] The work was carried out by Testbank along with Coastal and Burgess Marine.[3]

The ship was officially named Red Jet 5 by Shirley Robertson on 21 July 2009, entering service about a week later as a replacement for Red Jet 1 and Red Jet 2, working alongside her sister ship Red Jet 3 and half-sister Red Jet 4.[2][1] During the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Red Jet 5 was chartered to Thames Clippers for use as a games shuttle on the Thames.

In 2015, Red Funnel announced that she would be replaced by a new ship, Red Jet 6, to be constructed at East Cowes.[4] Once the latter was brought into service in summer 2016,[5] Red Jet 5 was retired and sold.[6]

Schiopparello Jet

The vessel was sold to Toremar and renamed Schiopparello Jet. She is used on services from Piombino, on the Tuscan mainland, to Portoferraio, on the island of Elba. Services operate via Cavo, also on the island of Elba.[6][7]

References
  1. "Red Jet 5 Specification". Red Funnel. Red Funnel. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  2. Adams, Keith (2010). Red Funnel 150 Celebrating One Hundred and Fifty Years of The Original Isle of Wight Ferries. Richard Danielson. p. 71. ISBN 9780951315552.
  3. "Testbank ship repairers do first job at new base". The News. 21 July 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. "Red Jet 6 - coming summer 2016". Red Funnel. Red Funnel. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  5. "RED JET 6 BUILD PROGRESSING WELL IN EAST COWES". Island Echo. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  6. "Vessel details for SCHIOPPARELLO JET". Marine Traffic. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  7. "Schiopparello Jet: the new fast way to cross to and from Piombino and Elba". Infoelba s.r.l. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
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