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W.B. Yeats Finally Departs German Shipbuilder for Ireland But Is Bound First for French Port

15th December 2018
Irish Ferries W.B. Yeats today is finally underway on a delivery voyage from Germany to Ireland, though the route to Dublin Port will involve transiting the Kiel Canal into the North Sea followed by an en-route call to Cherbourg, France. This is to facilitate berthing trials in the Normandy port from where inaugural direct Ireland-France sailings begin from mid-March, 2019. Until then, sailings between the Irish capital and the continental mainland are maintained by other ferries. Irish Ferries W.B. Yeats today is finally underway on a delivery voyage from Germany to Ireland, though the route to Dublin Port will involve transiting the Kiel Canal into the North Sea followed by an en-route call to Cherbourg, France. This is to facilitate berthing trials in the Normandy port from where inaugural direct Ireland-France sailings begin from mid-March, 2019. Until then, sailings between the Irish capital and the continental mainland are maintained by other ferries. Credit: Irish Ferries -facebook

#ferry - Irish Ferries W.B. Yeats which suffered delays stretching back to early summer when originally due to enter a route to France, finally departed the German shipbuilders today for Ireland but is first bound for Cherbourg, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The €147m W.B.Yeats launched by shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) in Flensburg, was tracked by Afloat this afternoon as the giant Cypriot flagged cruiseferry proceeded down the Flensburg Fjord shared between German and Danish waters.

At 54,985 gross tonnage, the newbuild is the largest ever cruiseferry ordered by parent company, Irish Continental Group (ICG) which said earlier this week the new ship is due to make a delivery voyage to Dublin next week. Capacity is for 1,885 passengers accommodated in 435 cabins, including luxury suites featuring balconies is provided with a dedicated butler service. As for cars and freight trucks, there is space for 1,200 vehicles. 

The delivery of the 194m cruiseferry had been delayed at the FSG shipyard which attributed the delay to receiving parts late from suppliers. This in turn led to major disruptions to holiday-makers, as sailings scheduled were cancelled on the Dublin-Cherbourg route effecting up to 19,000 passengers. 

Introduction of W.B. Yeats in 2019, will see up to four sailings a week served by W.B. Yeats on the direct continental route linking Ireland and France, where the flagship will be making berthing trials in Cherbourg. Afloat understands that the newbuild is scheduled to arrive in the Normandy port on Wednesday.

The W.B. Yeats will travel 125,000 nautical miles annually, which is the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe nearly 6 times. Sailings served by the cruiseferry will begin from mid-March to the end of September, and Irish Ferries can continue to claim to be the only operator providing customers with direct crossings to mainland Europe with the convenience of Dublin Port.

W.B. Yeats becomes the first custom-built passenger car ferry, since a predecessor of ICG, the Irish Continental Line (ICL) which was semi-state owned, introduced new tonnage in the form of Saint Patrick.

This considerably smaller ferry of around 5,000 gross tonnage, and also German built, launched ICL's first season in 1973, following a gap since another concern, Normandy Ferries pulled the plug at the end of the 1971 season. There would be no service the following year, as the company cited they could no spare the ferries on the Ireland-France connection due to demands of other services.

 

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Jehan Ashmore

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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!