Flyingcat twins Fastcat Shanklin and Raparee, the former Fastcat Ryde (below), have gone to Russia, arriving in Sochi as deck cargo aboard piggyback ship Beluga Fantasy in mid-May. Like Stena Line’s three former Fleetwood-Larne route ro-ro ferries, they will be used from the Black Sea port, which stages the 2013 Winter Olympics.
Brought in by Wightlink to replace Incat catamarans on the Portsmouth-Ryde passenger service in 2000, the 1995-built pair operated until early 2010, when replaced by Philippines-built catamarans Wight Ryder 1 and Wight Ryder 2. Last summer, after purchase by backers of Severn Link, they moved to the Bristol Channel.
