Schiopparello Jet

MV Schiopparello Jet is a passenger catamaran ferry, formerly known as Bo Hengy and Red Jet 5. She operates on routes from Piombino to the Tuscan archipelago on behalf of ferry operator Toremar (Toscana Regionale Marittima). She was built in 1999.

Red Jet 5 departing Southampton
History
Name	1999-2008: MV Bo Hengy 2009-2016 MV Red Jet 5 2016 onwards: MV Schiopparello Jet
Operator	1999-2008: Bahamas Ferries 2009-2016: Red Funnel 2016 onwards: Toremar
Builder	Pequot River Shipworks, New London, USA
Laid down	1999
Identification	IMO number: 8954415
Status	In service
General characteristics
Class and type	Solent Class catamaran
Tonnage	209 GT
Length	32.9 m (107.9 ft)
Beam	8.32 m (27.3 ft)
Draught	1.25 m (4.1 ft)
Propulsion	2 x MTU/DDC 4000 Series 4
Speed	38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph)
Capacity	187
Crew	Max 3

Schiopparello Jet is a sister ship to Red Jet 3, a catamaran designed and built by FBM Marine on the Isle of Wight for operation by Red Funnel. However, unlike her sister ship, she was built in the United States. She is distinguished from her sister by having a sheltered sundeck.^[1]

History

Bo Hengy

Built as the Bo Hengy for Bahamas Ferries, the vessel was constructed at the Pequot River Shipworks in New London, Connecticut in 1999. She was retired in 2008. Bahamas Ferries now operates a larger catamaran called Bo Hengy II.

Red Jet 5

Following purchase by Red Funnel the vessel was transported to Southampton by heavy lift ship arriving 11 June 2009.^[2] The vessel was then towed to Portchester to be refurbished with an internal layout based on Red Jet 4.^[2] The work was carried out by Testbank along with Coastal and Burgess Marine.^[3]

The ship was officially named Red Jet 5 by Shirley Robertson on 21 July 2009, entering service about a week later as a replacement for Red Jet 1 and Red Jet 2, working alongside her sister ship Red Jet 3 and half-sister Red Jet 4.^[2][1] During the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Red Jet 5 was chartered to Thames Clippers for use as a games shuttle on the Thames.^{[citation needed]}

In 2015, Red Funnel announced that she would be replaced by a new ship, Red Jet 6, to be constructed at East Cowes.^[4] Once the latter was brought into service in summer 2016,^[5] Red Jet 5 was retired and sold.^[6]

Schiopparello Jet

The vessel was sold to Toremar and renamed Schiopparello Jet. She is used on services from Piombino, on the Tuscan mainland, to Portoferraio, on the island of Elba. Services operate via Cavo, also on the island of Elba.^[6][7]