New Scilly freight vessel sets off from Vietnam

A new freight vessel for the Isles of Scilly has set off on a 72-day delivery voyage from Vietnam to Penzance in Cornwall.

The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group (ISSG) said Menawethan set off from a shipyard at Ho Chi Minh on Friday.

Stuart Reid, chief executive of ISSG, said it was a "hugely proud moment" for the vessel which had been "carefully designed to meet the long-term freight needs of the Isles of Scilly".

In addition, the steamship group said it had celebrated a "major milestone" in the construction of the new passenger ferry Scillonian IV which touched water for the first time on Saturday. The ferry is scheduled to replace Scillonian III in March 2027.

ISSG said Menawethan would travel via Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, with four bunker stops in Mauritius, Namibia, Tenerife and Concarneau in France.

It will replace Gry Maritha to deliver fuel, goods and supplies to the islands all year round.

Menawethan has improved capacity for perishable, chilled and frozen goods, meaning supplies can be transferred between the mainland and the islands more reliably all year round, ISSG added.

The vessel will also be able to carry 12 passengers in a dedicated lounge.

In addition, Reid said the float-out of the 75m long passenger ferry, Scillonian IV, was "hugely exciting".

He travelled to Ho Chi Minh City to witness the launch of the ferry, which can carry 600 passengers.

"This is a pivotal and highly symbolic step towards delivering a ferry that will strengthen connectivity and provide a resilient, reliable service for the Isles of Scilly for the next generation of passengers," he said.

The company said the launch process involved flooding the dock and floating the ship out of the gates so it could be towed to the outfitting berth.

The company had previously hoped to build the vessels using government funding but these plans did not materialise.

As a result it decided to privately fund the £42m project, with £33.6m borrowed.

The existing cargo ship Gry Maritha, built in 1982, and Scillonian III ferry, which came into service in 1977, were put up for sale on 13 February.

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