Menawethan arrival into Concarneau

Menawethan, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group’s new 45m freight vessel, has arrived at Concarneau in France for the final stop on her delivery voyage to the UK.

The vessel was welcomed by Marine Superintendent Tom Weise and Ben Jenkins, Manager of St Mary’s Quay and Senior Freight Skipper, following a successful journey from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Menawethan will now spend approximately two weeks at the Piriou Shipyard in Concarneau. This scheduled stop has always been an integral part of the delivery programme and will allow for final inspections, commissioning checks and sign-off procedures to be completed before the vessel undertakes her final passage to Penzance, Cornwall.

Menawethan performed extremely well throughout the voyage, which took her around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

As preparations continue for the vessel’s entry into service, a crew from the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group will travel to Concarneau on Sunday to spend a week onboard familiarising themselves with the vessel, her systems and operating procedures ahead of her arrival in the UK.

They will remain on board for the final section of the journey, from Concarneau to Penzance, alongside the specialist company which is responsible for delivering Menawethan to Penzance.

The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group will not take formal ownership of Menawethan until final contractual and legal procedures have been completed in Penzance. Menawethan will then undergo a survey by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is a legal requirement, as well as crew training and sea trials.

The successful completion of this stage of the delivery voyage marks another important milestone for the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, with Menawethan now entering the final phase of her journey before arriving in Cornwall.

Menawethan will provide a modern, reliable and resilient freight service for the Isles of Scilly, replacing Gry Maritha to deliver essential goods and supplies to the islands year-round.

The state-of-the-art vessel includes a range of improvements, including a much-enhanced cargo capacity and an improved capacity for perishable, chilled and frozen goods, meaning that supplies can be transferred between the mainland and the islands more reliably all year round. It will have the ability to carry 12 passengers in a dedicated lounge, providing a year-round transport link.

Menawethan has been designed with improved operational efficiency and modern safety features, ensuring it is well suited to serve the unique requirements of the Isles of Scilly for decades to come.

We look forward to welcoming Menawethan into the Isles of Scilly.