By Carole Dennett
It’s been 15 months since May 2024, when Red Funnel’s CEO, Fran Collins, announced the tender for three new vehicle ferries would be sent out ‘later this year’ to replace the 30-year-old Red Falcon, Red Eagle, and Red Osprey – all increasingly unreliable.
The promised tender remains mysteriously missing. But Fran reassured staff this week in an internal message that “contrary to any rumours you may have heard, let me reassure you that we’re not going anywhere.” Which, ironically, was exactly how passengers aboard Red Osprey felt last Thursday when she had to be ignominiously rescued mid-Solent and towed back to Southampton due to “essential maintenance to a critical item of onboard equipment.” The only thing going anywhere was the tug.
The bank holiday getaway turned into a bank holiday standstill, with later sailings cancelled and stranded passengers all sharing Fran’s sentiment of “We’re not going anywhere.”
Fran sympathised with her staff: “I imagine that you might be getting a little tired of me providing what feels like the same update on this subject, and I really do appreciate your patience (believe me, I also feel your frustration!).” She went on to say the board and leadership team “continue to make good progress” on refinancing and funding for the new Raptor fleet, but admitted “things are just taking longer than we anticipated.”
What she doesn’t apparently share is the mounting frustration felt by Islanders and visitors alike – many paying sky-high prices for a service that increasingly feels like a lottery, with the same old excuses trotted out time after time. Perhaps she should update the website, which still cheerfully claims that “crossings to and from the Island take approximately 1 hour.” For many passengers last weekend, that hour came and went – along with their patience.
What’s intriguing is what rumour Fran was trying to quell. We asked, but she didn’t answer. So we are left to speculate. Was it the whispered launch of a new Delay Loyalty Card – collect just ten cancellations and you’re handed the loudhailer to call for help from passing tugs? Or perhaps it was the whisper about Fran’s new podcast called “We’re Not Going Anywhere”, featuring ferry engine breakdown noises and regular updates on ships that haven’t been ordered yet.
Or maybe it’s the more serious speculation: that Red Funnel’s financial position is so precarious that Northleaf Capital Partners – supposed to be interested in acquiring the troubled company – have still not signed on the dotted line.
Meanwhile, PS Waverley – the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer – is due to arrive in the Solent this weekend, ahead of her 80th birthday next year. But she’s only around for a fortnight. With Red Funnel, passengers can enjoy the full vintage experience all year round – complete with breakdowns, delays, and the occasional impromptu tugboat tour. Waverley’s paddles may be old – but they are getting her right around Britain. Red Funnel can barely cross the Solent!
Fran closed her message with: “As I’ve promised frequently, once I have firm news to share, you’ll be the first to know.” But as one staff member told the IW Observer: “Nobody’s holding their breath-except maybe the engineers every time Red Osprey leaves port.”
It was predictable, but depressing to hear that there were more car ferry cancellations from Red Funnel this week.
Parker