Fiera Infrastructure has acquired a 50% equity interest in Isle of Wight ferry operator Wightlink from Basalt Infrastructure Partners for an undisclosed sum.

Basalt will continue to have a 50% stake in Wightlink, a company it reportedly acquired from Macquarie for about £230m in 2015.

Fiera said the investment in Wightlink will be added to its open-ended global midmarket infrastructure strategy.

Wightlink, which has provided services for more than 160 years, is one of the leading domestic ferry operators in the UK, serving 4.5m passengers and running more than 45,000 crossings annually.

Alina Osorio, president of Fiera Infrastructure, said: “We believe that Wightlink is uniquely positioned within its market and has a long history of operating on the Solent.

“We are delighted to be the new owners of the largest cross-Solent ferry operator and remain committed to investing in the business.