The Channel Islands’ first inter-island daily freight service has invested in a new equipment to allow it to remain competitive by operating in demanding weather conditions.
Iris Freight CI has equipped itself with DuroWiper pantographs to help it meet this requirement. Iris Freight CI purchased its first set of Class 50 DuroWipers at Seawork International 2019.
“I run a commercial business and cannot afford to have any downtime due to visibility and bad weather, so making the right equipment choice is imperative,” said Captain David Nuth, co-owner and founder of Iris Freight CI. “Most of our work is undertaken at night and we use infra-red and spotlights. But getting a wiper system that is functional is also fundamental. The sea conditions that we encounter here can be ferocious. You can spend thousands on new engines and equipment but there is little point if you can’t see where you’re going.”
Reduced maintenance
Captain Nuth bought ex CTV Channel Chieftain V from Pat Carling of Carling Charters when he set up Iris Freight in 2015. Prior to fitting DuroWipers, he had to replace the wiper systems on the vessel three times.
“Standard wipers are just not up to the job,” said Captain Nuth. “I’m a firm believer that you get what you pay for. For me DuroWipers have transformed my job. The previous wipers only cleared part of the screen and I was replacing blades and arms at a rate of knots.”
The DuroWiper Class 50 systems are built to clear the entire windscreen and can operate at two different speeds for optimal performance.
By Rebecca Jeffrey