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Messages - IFPete

#661
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 21, 2015, 12:13:11 PM
It could be a while before Superfast ferries begin their Florida - Cuba service,

Both John Kerry and his cuban counterpart have indicated it could be a while before us citizens can travel to Cuba.
#662
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 21, 2015, 12:08:28 PM
Epsilon does this every two weeks in summer months.

This usually happens when Oscar Wilde has not sailed from Cherbourg on a Sunday afternoon,
#663
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 20, 2015, 11:58:12 AM
I suspect the newbuild being talked about is for Dublin - Holyhead,

IOI could fill the gap until the newbuild went into service, however a suitable vessel for rosslare - pembroke
would be required if IOI moves to Dublin until the new build arrived.

Ireland - France route could not justify a new build, so it still looks like IF need two vessels in the short to medium term. One for Pembroke and one for Cherbourg assuming Epsilon returns to her owners in November.
#664
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 14, 2015, 08:54:20 AM
Epsilon is prety basic with no passenger comfort features escpecially for kids.

She was leased to test the freight market and to provide some degree of back up for swift cancellations.

IOI was originally built for Dublin - Holyhead and has more passenger capacity than Ulysses so it is the
Ideal ship for this route.

If Isle of innisfree had been available she would have been ideal for Pembroke - Rosslare but this adds to the excitement due to her no availability before 2017 and the likelyhood that she will stay in New Zealand.

Since Epsilon is not suitable for Pembroke i would only envisage that Irish Ferries would retain her if they were to launch a new freight service to spain or for a freight service to Cherbourg running opposite Oscar Wilde. This would be a good market test but not as ideal as a Superfast or Blue Star type of operation.
#665
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 13, 2015, 06:15:13 PM
Oscar Wilde has its own nitch in the market with 1358 cabin berths not easily replaced.

IF need additional vessel or vessels that can take passengers comfortably and can take a lot of freight.
Superfast XI, XII or Blue Star 1 , 2 could fill that gap although Blue Star vessels have no weatherdecks and less cabins.

IF has lost a lot of business to Corbelfret and to landbridge through UK due to lack of capacity in the summer months when Oscar Wilde is full of Holiday makers,

They also need to replace IOI on Rosslare Pembroke if it moves to Dublin as part of an increased frequency Dublin - Holyhead service.

A set of twins with comfortable passenger capacity above 1200 and freight capacity for 140 trailers would be ideal.
#666
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 13, 2015, 12:52:46 PM
IF have something in progress, hopefully they will announce something when they release their half year results at the end of August.

Expansion of Ireland - France and Dublin - Holyhead are on the agenda.
#667
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 11, 2015, 01:39:59 PM
I believe several of these ferries were looked at.

Blue Star 1 and Blue Star 2 would certainly work on Pembroke - Rosslare without much work,

They have plenty of capacity but no open deck space for hazardous goods unlike the superfast twins.
#668
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 11, 2015, 12:34:49 PM
The idea of a ferry service between Florida and Cuba is inspiring

Pehaps it could be a new route for Oscar wilde.
#669
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
July 11, 2015, 12:29:36 PM
Visby and Gothland would be too small and uneconomic to operate to france.

Dont rule out the Superfast twins yet.

The greeks have no money and would take a reasonable offer if it was on the table.

Irish Ferries do not need to replace Tonnage before November in any case.
#670
They will proply be worth more in piece parts than it is worth overhauling the engines for further use.
#671
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
June 27, 2015, 02:29:05 PM
I do not see Oscar Wilde as a long term replacement for IOI on southern corridor,

We will see what happens in the coming months

#672
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
June 26, 2015, 02:02:19 AM
My ideal options for a combined service vessel are Normandie, Mont Saint Michael or Stena Vision.

I believe Irish Ferries would be the favourates to run a combined service to Pembroke given its cheaper crewing costs and the better roads from Pembroke for freight.

My ideal options for direct IOI replacement are Stena Jutlandica , Armorique, Isle of Inishfree from 2017 and Normandie, Mont Saint Michael.

I suspect it will be Oscar Wilde or a wilde card perhaps one of the superfast vessels but that would be a waste of a good overnight ferry.
#673
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
June 25, 2015, 06:37:33 PM
I believe the Swift is safe for now

Oscar Wilde has had some money spent on her and could be used to go to Brest and Spain without the expense of Marine Gas Oil because this route is west of the Low Sulphur zone.

Her accomodation is good for family with cars and can handle 90 trailers plus 100 cars despite her age.

The Superfast Twins if they come would be easier to add scrubber or other technology too and have much greater freight capacity.

At 25 knots they could reduce the journey time to Cherbourg allowing 2100 PM departure from Rosslare ideal for freight with late morning arrival into Cherbourg.

They would not need too much work done on them for this route unless IF want to convert them to two level drive through.
#674
The News Board / Re: Irish Ferries Fleet movements
June 25, 2015, 03:01:47 PM
The recent rumours i have heard are as follows,

Superfast XI and Superfast XII are still very much of interest to Irish Ferries.

I do not know if an LOI was signed for them yet but i would imagine it has if they really want them.

Irish Ferries are keen to establish a year round service to Cherbourg possibly with two ships offering a daily service to support the irish freight community.

Isle of Inishmore could be moving permanently back to Dublin in November if a suitable replacement vessel for Rosslare Pembroke can be found. She was designed for the route, has plenty of cabins,  so very little work would be needed although the addition of a cinema would be helpful.

Epsilons current charter is to November 2015 with an option to extend.

I have not heard anything about Oscar Wildes future although it could be used for Pembroke - Rosslare for winter 2015/2016 and operate Rosslare - Roscoff or Rosslare - Brest - Spain in the longer term.
#675
I travelled back from Holyhead last night on Stena Superfast X at 2030 PM,

The ship looks in great shape with most of the interior refurbishment now complete.

The ship incorporates a lot of lessons learned from Superfast VII and Superfast VIII and
is configured with more cabins instead of lounge space due to the longer length of the route,

The Deck plan is also inverted in many respects to accomodate the changes.

Deck 7 FWD end had an enlarged Stena Plus lounge almost twice as big as the northern twins with is own kitchen for cooking and serving food. Fried food is prepared in the main ships Galley.

The shop is behind the Stena Plus lounge with normal lounge space either side.

Behind this area on the port side is the reception area - bureau de change.

Midships on the port side is a Truckers lounge with a bar area on the starboard side.

Aft of deck 7 either side are two cinemas.

At the Aft end of Deck 8 is the self service cafe with lots of open seating. Self Service coffee machine.

Fwd of Deck 8 on port side and Fwd is where most of the cabins are based with VIP Cabins FWD and behind these on starboard side is a lounge with interactive games equipment.

The ship also has a kids play area on port side on deck 7.

Deck 9 is for crew quarters and on deck 10 there are two cabins forward of the spa area which is currently undergoing refurbishment

The toilets have standard doors with bright wood paneling unlike the north twins with their fancy sliding doors and associated issues in rough weather.

A disabled toilet will be installed beside the reception area on the port side in the coming weeks.

We drove onto deck 5 which was gleaming in white paint with proper fire proof paint on the floors and everything as it should be.

The ship had a load of 100 cars and was had a moderate loading of trucks.

It did not appear very full inside and there was plenty of space for passangers.

The Shop and Bureau De Change closed half way though the voyage due to the low passenger numbers.

Stena Superfast X is now taking coaches on day sailings due to the passenger capacity which Stena Nordica could not cope with.

The ship midweek is underutilized with passenger and cars and busy at weekends.