A Wightlink car ferry suffered a significant berthing mishap at the Portsmouth Gunwharf terminal on February 17th, 2026 that resulted in damage to both the vessel and the port infrastructure and led to suspension of sailings on the principal route to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. In the early morning arrival, the ferry St Clare made contact with the berth in what the operator described as a “heavy berthing incident”, rendering the linkspan and associated shore facilities unable to support the boarding or disembarkation of vehicles and foot passengers while assessments were conducted. As a consequence, scheduled sailings between Portsmouth and Fishbourne were cancelled for the better part of the day, with services not expected to resume until late afternoon at the earliest.
Passengers aboard St Clare at the time of the impact were unable to leave the vessel immediately, as loading ramps could not be deployed and the ship remained secured alongside the damaged berth. Accounts from those present reported that the collision was felt throughout the lower decks, and that passengers and their vehicles had to remain on board until the ferry reversed clear of the terminal before disembarkation procedures could begin.
Wightlink issued apologies to customers affected by the disruption and stated that full refunds would be issued for all cancelled sailings. The operator indicated that teams were working to assess the extent of the damage and to plan safe restoration of operations, but advised that no alternative sailings would be available on the Gunwharf–Fishbourne route before later in the day. Other routes in the company’s network, such as passenger services between Ryde Pier Head and Portsmouth Harbour, continued to operate as normal throughout the disruption.
The incident also had knock‑on effects for connected regional transport services, including community bus transfers that link ferry services with mainland destinations, as drivers and passengers were delayed amid the temporary suspension of ferry crossings.
At the time of reporting, investigations into the cause of the berthing impact were underway, with port and ferry officials reviewing operational data and equipment performance to determine the factors that led to the collision and to support plans for reinstating the route’s regular timetable once the infrastructure has been repaired and certified safe for ongoing use.