Fleet Support Limited (FSL) is at the peak of its winter commercial ship refit activity with passenger ferries occupying three docks at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Having secured a deal to dock all eight Wightlink cross-Solent ferries, FSL is also docking Red Funnel’s three Raptor-Class ro-pax ships and the fast catamaran ferries of Weymouth-based Condor Ferries, which operates cross-Channel services.

Wightlink has completed the first double docking of the winter with the Portsmouth-Fishbourne ferry St.Helen and the Lymington-based Caedmon having completed a programme of machinery overhauls and painting. The two ships will be followed by another double docking with St.Cecilia and Cenwulf due early next month.

After a brief docking for surveys of Red Funnel’s Red Falcon, the company’s Southampton-Cowes ferry Red Eagle has now entered FSL for a two-week refit. She will be followed by a short docking period of the third ship in the fleet, Red Osprey.

Ar least two of FSL’s docks will be busy with commercial shiprepair work until the beginning of March. This includes the Base’s C Lock, which is playing host to fast cross-Channel craft.

Condor is refitting its Vitesse and Express ferries and completing the cross-Channel visitors will be Speed Ferries’ vessel Speed Ferry 1, which operates out of Dover. Again, the fast craft will be undergoing their regular programme of machinery overhauls, surveys and painting ready for the summer season.