Southampton to Channel Islands freight shipping company, Huelin Renouf, is taking delivery of an £8.8m, state-of-theart new vessel.

Called Huelin Dispatch, pictured, the fourth vessel in the 76-year history of the Jersey-based company to carry the name, she represents a significant increase in capacity and reliability over its predecessor, Huelin Endeavour.

The new ship will become a familiar sight on Southampton Water and the Solent operating from the company’s freight terminal, which employs a workforce of 20, in the city’s Eastern Docks.

At more than 200ft, and capable of carrying up to 176 containers, 42 more than her predecessor, the new vessel, which provides a vital supply line to the Channel Islands, is also quicker, more economical and environmentally friendly.

Richard Evans, Huelin Renouf’s chief executive, said: “Huelin Dispatch will continue to deliver a robust and resilient, five days a week, cross Channel service, supplying all of the Channel Islands’ with everything from food and cars to clothing and construction materials.

“This is a very exciting day in the life of this company and shows that we are here for the long haul.

“With the lingering recession, we are living in challenging times for the freight industry but our trade has been strong and, based on customer demand will give us the opportunity to expand the range of freight we can carry.

“This new Huelin Dispatch will offer customers certainty and flexibility in a very volatile market. It will revolutionise our niche market and enable us to offer a quality of service better than other freight operators.”

Huelin-Renouf Shipping has been serving the Channel Islands since 1935 and is today a leading provider of shipping, transportation and distribution services to and from the Channel Islands and the UK.

The head office of Huelin-Renouf is in Jersey, with offices and operational centres in Guernsey, Alderney and the UK.