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No Dun Laoghaire HSS Fast-Ferry Service, Yet Boost to Christmas Sailings on Services to Dublin Port

20th December 2014
No Dun Laoghaire HSS Fast-Ferry Service, Yet Boost to Christmas Sailings on Services to Dublin Port

#ChristmasSailingsStena Line's decision to cancel Christmas sailings on Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route which was to have started today, leaves those booked to make alternative sailings on Holyhead-Dublin Port services, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The absence of the High Speed Sea-service (HSS) Stena Explorer fast-ferry on the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route and over the early New Year, will see added traffic absorbed on Stena's Holyhead-Dublin service and that of rivals Irish Ferries also operating to the capital.

In addition P&O Ferries operate a trio of ships on the Liverpool-Dublin route, this central corridor route takes eight hours. In comparison to the link from Merseyside, crossing times on Holyhead services range from 3 hours 15 minutes if taken by conventional ferry or 1 hour 50 minutes on Irish Ferries fast-ferry Jonathan Swift.

Stena's route to Dublin Port is operated by a two-ship service on the Wales-Ireland service, while from today Irish Ferries have boosted capacity to cope with Christmas demand with the entry of Isle of Inishmore which joins the routes other three ferries.

Prior to making her appearance in Holyhead, Isle of Inishmore completed her normal Pembroke-Dock-Rosslare duties yesterday afternoon. This was followed by departing the Wexford port with an overnight repositioning passage to Holyhead, from where she took up this morning's sailing from Anglesey to the Irish capital.

Standing in for Isle of Inishmore on the Pembrokeshire route is Oscar Wilde, which made the last Rosslare-Cherbourg round trip sailings for 2014 followed by last night's first sailing to south Wales.

The French connection though remains as Irish Ferries operates a year-round Dublin-Cherbourg service running at weekends. Stena Line also provide an all-year Rosslare-Cherbourg link.

For details on central corridor seasonal sailing schedules, visit the following ferry websites: Stena Line, Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries, noting this operator does not take 'foot' passengers.

 

Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!