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Displaying items by tag: service to resume

Ferry company, Stena Line is to resume sailings from Fishguard to Rosslare this Sunday, 5 March, just over three weeks since Stena Europe was taken off the Wales-Ireland route due to an engine room blaze.

As the Western Telegraph writes, the port in Pembrokeshire is to welcome the return of the Stena Europe following repairs to the engine room when the blaze took place off the Welsh coast on Saturday, 11 February.

Dating to 1981, the veteran vessel was repaired at the Cammel Laird shipyard, Birkenhead at the Tranmere Basin as Afloat previously reported and where a planned maintenance also took place.

Stena Europe which at more than 40 year's old, has for half that time spent a career on the Wales-Ireland route, is to be replaced in July by the 2001 built Stena Nordica.

This ropax ferry which is based on the Baltic Sea, Afloat adds previously served on the Irish Sea but on the Holyhead-Dublin route until replaced in 2015. Since then the ropax has returned to the Irish Sea as a relief ferry during annual winter dry-dockings.

As for the St. Georges Channel route, Stena Europe’s arrival in Fishguard is scheduled for this Saturday in readiness for the next day’s first passenger and freight crossing at 1300 on Sunday. On the same day, the ferry is to return from Rosslare at 18.15.

Stena Line’s trade director Irish Sea, Paul Grant, said: “We are very pleased to have Stena Europe back sailing from this Sunday, for its last few months on our Fishguard – Rosslare route; until it is replaced by a new look Stena Nordica in the summer.

"Thank you to all our customers for their patience.”

Published in Stena Line

Every Year Ireland's Search & Rescue Services deliver emergency life saving work on our seas, lakes and rivers.

Ireland's Water Safety Agencies work hard to provide us with the information we need to keep safe, while enjoying all manner of water based activities.

There's no better fun than getting out on the water but being afloat is a responsibility we all need to take seriously.

These pages detail the work of the rescue agencies. We also aim to promote safety standards among pleasure boaters, and by doing so, prevent, as far as possible, the loss of life at sea and on inland waters. If you have ideas for our pages we'd love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]

Think Before You Sink - Wear a Lifejacket

Accidents can happen fast on water and there may not be time to reach for a lifejacket in an emergency therefore don't just carry a lifejacket - wear it; if it's not on you, it can't save your life.

Irish Water Safety's Safe Boating Alert:

Check condition of boat and equipment, hull, engine, fuel, tools, torch.

Check the weather forecast for the area.

Check locally concerning dangerous currents and strong tides.

Do not drink alcohol while setting out or during your trip.

Carry an alternative means of propulsion e.g. sails and oars or motor and oars.

Carry a first aid kit on board and distress signals (at least two parachute distress rockets, two red hand flares).

Carry a fire extinguisher, a hand bailer or bucket with lanyard and an anchor with rope attached.

Carry marine radio or some means of communication with shore.

Do not overload the boat - this will make it unstable.

Do not set out unless accompanied by an experienced person.

Leave details of your planned trip with someone ashore - including departure and arrival times, description of boat, names of persons on board, etc.

Wear a Lifejacket at all times.

Keep an eye on the weather - seek shelter in good time.

In Marine Emergencies, call 999 or 112 and ask for Marine Rescue.

Lifejackets Checklist

Ensure Cartridges have not been punctured and are secured firmly.

Ensure all zips, buckles, fasteners and webbing straps are functioning correctly and adjusted to fit the user.

Check that fitted lights are operating correctly.

Ensure that Automatic Inflation devices are fully serviced and in date.

Check that the valve or lifejacket is not leaking.