Editing Red Funnel (section)

{{short description|Ferry company operating on The Solent}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox Water transit
| name            = Red Funnel
| logo            = Red Funnel logo.svg
| logo_size       = 
| image           = Red Jet 5, Southampton.jpg
| image_size      = 
| locale          = [[Hampshire]], [[England]]
| waterway        = [[The Solent]]
| transit_type    = Passenger and Car Ferries
| operation_will_start =
| began_operation = 1861
| ended_operation = 
| system_length   = 
| draft           =
| lines           = 3
| hub             = [[Town Quay]], [[Southampton]]
| vessels         = 7
| terminals       = 4
| ridership       = 9,000<ref>{{cite web |title=About Red Funnel |url=https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/about-us |website=redfunnel.co.uk |access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>
| operator        = 
| owner           = West Midlands Pension Fund<br>[[Workplace Safety & Insurance Board]]
| website         = {{Official website|https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/}}
}}

'''Red Funnel''', the trading name of the '''Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited''',<ref name=company2404>[http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/00002404 Companies House extract company no 2404] Southampton Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited</ref> is a ferry company that carries [[passenger]]s, [[vehicle]]s and [[freight]] on routes between the English mainland and the [[Isle of Wight]]. High-speed foot passenger [[catamarans]], known as ''Red Jets'', run between [[Southampton]] and [[Cowes]], while [[Roll-on/roll-off|vehicle ferries]] run between Southampton and [[East Cowes]]. It also runs the ferry between Southampton and [[Hythe, Hampshire|Hythe]].

Red Funnel's main competitor is [[Wightlink]] whose services operate from [[Portsmouth]] to [[Fishbourne, Isle of Wight|Fishbourne]] and [[Ryde]], and from [[Lymington]] to [[Yarmouth, Isle of Wight|Yarmouth]]. The other major [[Solent]] ferry company, [[Hovertravel]], operates between [[Southsea]] and [[Ryde]]. Both provide a frequent service to the [[Isle of Wight]], but neither normally serve Southampton, Cowes or [[East Cowes]].