A&P Refits Wight Light

UK-based A&P Group its shipyard in Falmouth is refitting the Wightlink RO-RO ferry Wight Light. Wightlink is a passenger and vehicle  ferry company operating routes between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in southern England.

Wight Light visited A&P Falmouth for its two-yearly refit period. Vessels from the Wightlink fleet have been visiting A&P Falmouth since the early 2000s for dry-dockings and maintenance work.

During Wight Light’s recent refit, a new engine was fitted and commissioned, leak and dye penetrant testing was carried out on its forward and aft Voith blades, along with deflection testing of its aft Voith propulsion unit.

Additional works include replacing hydraulic pipework on the ship’s garage deck, calibration and inline machining of the mezzanine deck’s forward and aft ramps, servicing of the ship’s rescue boat engine and davit, along with servicing of all firefighting appliances and machinery.

A&P Falmouth’s rigging department also carried out testing and certification of all the ship’s lifting equipment and eye plates, creating a new database to aid ease of identification and compliance for ship staff.

Steve Jones, Managing Director for Operations and Site Director at A&P Falmouth, said: “A&P Falmouth has extensive knowledge of the Wightlink fleet and we were delighted to welcome Wight Light back to our facility to undertake her refit period.

“A&P Falmouth is highly specialised in supporting the ferry sector and strategically located to support ferry companies operating in the Isle of Wight and in the Channel Isles. It is encouraging to see UK ferry operators continuing to choose to use UK facilities and skills to maintain their fleet.”

Wightlink Head of Engineering Charlie Field said: “Wightlink has sent its vessels to A&P Falmouth for regular refits and maintenance periods for several years. The workforce has a good understanding of our fleet, minimising the downtime and service to our customers.”