A Wightlink ferry. WIGHTLINK is planning more sailings from March 29 to meet an expected rise in demand in April as restrictions ease. The Portsmouth-Fishbourne route will increase to an hourly service seven days a week, with the usual night-time sailings. Sailings will resume at weekends on the Lymington-Yarmouth route, which will continue to be a two-hourly service. The FastCat service between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head will remain suspended because few foot passengers are travelling at present. It will resume when demand increases. Wightlink s chief executive, Keith Greenfield, said: We are pleased to increase the numbers of sailings on both our car ferry routes, including the resumption of weekend services between Lymington and Yarmouth, as restrictions start to be lifted.
Wightlink’s timetable will be changing from Monday (March 29) in anticipation of increased demand for travel next month. The Portsmouth – Fishbourne route will increase to an hourly service seven days a week (with the usual night-time sailings). Sailings will resume at weekends on the Lymington - Yarmouth route. It will continue to be a two-hourly service. The FastCat service between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head will remain suspended. This is because very few foot passengers are travelling at present. It will start again when there is greater demand. Wightlink chief executive, Keith Greenfield, said: “We are pleased to increase the numbers of sailings on both our car ferry routes, including the resumption of weekend services between Lymington and Yarmouth, as restrictions start to be lifted.
MERCHANT Navy officer cadet, Sam Bailey, has embarked on a month-long placement at Wightlink. The 22-year-old from Romsey, is joining crews on the Portsmouth-Fishbourne route to gain first hand experience of the ferry company’s lifeline service supplying the Isle of Wight during the Covid-19 pandemic. During his time at Wightlink, Sam will also sail to Falmouth on board its flagship Victoria of Wight for dry-docking and refit at the A&P shipyard. After learning to sail dinghies as a boy, Sam took a job as a deckhand on superyachts in the Mediterranean. He said: I got talking to the officers on board and found out about careers in the Merchant Navy. It looked like being a great life with lots of opportunities of travel, combining classroom study with several placements on ships.
Some Snippets from the Supply Chain You May Have Missed This Week
A Few Pieces of Logistics News
UK – Over 30 unemployed young people are set to join the Port of London Authority (PLA) in Gravesend and Forth Ports, including at Tilbury, for paid six-month traineeships this spring, as part of the Government’s £2.4 billion Kickstart work programme. Opportunities available, ranging from administration through to operations, will give 16 to 24-year olds a chance to gain important experience in a real working environment.
Kickstart applicants, who must have been on Universal Credit for six months, will be referred to the PLA and Forth Ports by Job Centre Plus. The Government pays the minimum wage for the roles offered, based on a maximum 25-hour week. With CVs already being received, interviews are expected to take place in February, and it is hoped the first successful candidates will be in place in March.