A NEW high-speed cross Solent ferry is on course to enter service in July.

Red Funnel’s Red Jet 6, costing £6 million, is currently under construction by Shemara Refit LLP at East Cowes.

The ferry operator say it is the first vessel of its kind to be built in the UK in 15 years.

Red Jet 6 will have 275 seats – the same capacity s Red Jet 4, which built in Tasmania, but unlike that craft it will be powered by four engines rather than one which the firm say will make it more reliable.

It will replace the 186-seater US-built Red Jet 5 which was bought second-hand from the Caribbean and has experienced reliability problems, explained Red Funnel’s fleet and technical director Mark Slawson.

As it is larger than Red Jet 5 the new vessel will also be able to operate in heavier seas making cancellations for rough weather less frequent.

Red Jet 6 is due to enter the water in June, just over 12 months after the start of construction, and is due to enter service following a naming ceremony on July 4.

Kevin George, Red Funnel’s CEO commented “It is extremely gratifying to see that the build is both on schedule and on budget and the quality of work, particularly the welding is amongst the best we’ve seen from anywhere in the world. This demonstrates the type of specialist shipbuilding skills which are available on the Isle of Wight and underlines why we chose Shemara Refit LLP to build Red Jet 6.”

The aluminium vessel is being made in two halves. When completed the 23-tonne cabin and superstructure, complete with seats inside, will be lifted by crane onto the hull section.

The catamaran will weigh 90 tonnes in total, which is comparatively light for a vessel of this size, explained project manager Roy Whitewood, who was brought in from Australia to oversee the construction.

Most of the parts are being pre-cut by Southampton firm Aaalco.

The aluminium hull will be similar in design to Red Jet 4’s but to improve efficiency Red Jet 6 will be slightly longer at 41.12m.

Passenger accommodation will be insulated from the hulls to reduce vibration and noise. Like her sisters, Red Jet 6 will use waterjets rather than propellers to aid manoeuvrability.

Red Jet 6 will be the first of the company’s high speed fleet to have a passenger toilet, which was a top priority with the public when the firm was researching passengers’ requirements.

A new high bandwidth ship-to-shore Wi-Fi system will be free to use for passengers and the latest travel information system will show connections to buses, coaches, trains and flights in real-time.

The hull above the waterline will be wrapped in a vinyl skin –which will remove the need for timely and costly repainting.

Red Jet 6 is the first ferry to be built by Shemara, which was formed in 2010 by property developer Peter Morton to restore a 1938 motor yacht.

Mr Morton said: “There’s a myth that you can’t do anything in Britain. I don’t see why we can’t compete with the Far East if we can find ways of working more efficiently.”