What is British and travels from Vienna to Bratislava?
The answer is the new “Twin City Liner”, a catamaran built by the Wight’s shipyard in the Isle of Wight, which starts a new service along the Danube between Vienna and Bratislava on 29 March.
I was delighted to be invited before the launch of the new service to the “baptism” of the new vessel on the Danube. It is a magnificent machine: 39 metres long, with a capacity of 250 passengers and a top speed of 60 kilometres per hour. We were joined on a brief inaugural run by the Mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, and Peter Morton, founder and CEO of Wight & Co shipyard.
I found the experience terrific, and a potent symbol of the UK’s manufacturing prowess and continued links with Europe. The sale of the vessel to Vienna was the first export order (they also build catamarans for use on the Thames) and has been followed by two orders for Mexico. They are about to announce the sale of a further four orders to Europe. Good business.
I look forward to doing the run to Bratislava on the Twin City Liner in future!