of Tasmania in 2003. In 2016, Red Funnel took delivery of a new 40-metre high speed catamaran constructed in East Cowes by Shemara Refit LLP. Named by the Princess Royal on 4 July 2016, Red Jet 6 entered service later in the summer. Red Jet 7 was built by Wight Shipyard in East Cowes. Red Jet 7 was lowered into the River Medina at East Cowes on 6 June 2018, and was christened during a launching ceremony on 24 July 2018. Former fleet Classic ferries Between 1840 and the 1960s, Red Funnel line and its predecessors operated 40 different classic passenger ferries, many of these being paddle steamers. Later ferries sometimes had space allocated for carrying cars but it was not until 1959 that the first purpose-built car ferry was introduced. Classic passenger vessels continued in service until the Balmoral was sold in 1969. Paddle steamers Twin-screw steamers Motor vessels {| class="wikitable" !width=115px|Ship !width=75px|Service !Notes |- | (III) |1931–1962 |The first diesel engined ferry on the Solent |- | (I) |1938–1965 |2 x English Electric 6LM type diesels. Sold to P & A Campbell, renamed Westward Ho' |- | (II) |1949–1969 | Operated by P & A Campbell from 1968 to 1980. In 1981 she was sold for use as a floating nightclub in Dundee. Bought in 1985 by Waverley Excursions, she acted as the sister ship of the Waverley until 2012. Entered service on 19 June 2015 with White Funnel Ltd. |} Car ferries Although some earlier ferries provided space for cars, Red Funnel introduced its first purpose built car ferry in 1959. Besides the Raptor class vessels that are still in service, the following car ferries have been used by Red Funnel: Fast passenger ferries The first fast ferry introduced by Red Funnel was the Sea Coach Island Enterprise, a motor cruiser capable of carrying 11 passengers at 20 knots. She was built by the British Power Boat Company in Hythe, and operated from 1933 to 1938. Hovercraft In 1968 the company ran trials with an HM2 sidewall hovercraft, number 002, in order to compete with the Seaspeed service which used an SRN6 between Southampton and Cowes. Due to the unreliability of the craft it never entered passenger service. In 1981 Red Funnel acquired a pair of HM2 MkIIIs, GH2019 & GH2024, which were primarily used on the charter service for Vosper Thorneycroft transporting workers from the Isle