My favourate fast ferry to replace the Swift is the Austal 112 Metre MV Leonora Christina currently operating for BornholmerFærgen to and from  Bornholm until September 2017. She can hold 1'400 passengers and 355 cars on three decks or a mixture of 113 cars and up to 40 buses, vans and trucks. She loads both through Bow and Stern allowing vehicles access to all decks. She was constructed in 2011 as Austals biggest ever car ferry so she is relatively young, She uses 7.4 tons of fuel per hour at  38 knots with a full load equating to 50 tons of fuel daily being more fuel efficient and cost effective to run than the swift.

The main dimensions are: LOA 112.6 m, beam 26.2 m and maximum draft 4.85 m, maximum deadweight 1,102 tons (1,000 tonnes). Although shorter that Austal’s 127 m trimaran ferry Commadore Liberation in terms of carrying capacity with 1400 passengers and 355 cars, the vessel is one of the world’s largest high speed ferries and has the highest vehicle-passenger capacity of any Austal built vessel. Due to the vessel’s size the 187 ton (170 tonne) upper deck “super unit” could only be fitted after the hull emerged the fabrication hall

The vessel’s wheelhouse extends across the full width of the vessel, providing the crew with maximum visibility especially in winter fog, snow and other adverse conditions. It is equipped with Austal’s Marine Link fully integrated monitoring and control system providing the ship’s engineers with the ability to monitor and control the vessel’s safety, propulsion, generating and other operationally critical systems.

Propulsion is provided by four MAN 20V 28/33D medium speed diesel engines each rated at 12,064 hp (9,000 kW) at 1,000 rpm. The engines are arranged in an offset tandem configuration, two per hull driving four Rolls-Royce KaMeWa 125 SIIINP water jets via Reintjes 7541 transmissions. Maximum speed is 40 kn with a service speed at 90 per cent MCR of 37.6 kn.

Her higher placement in the water over the swift should help her to operate at higher wave heights on the irish sea making her more weather resilient and to take bigger summer and weekend loads on the Dublin - Holyhead route.

Potentially i could see her operating from Dublin to the Isle of Man in the evenings at weekends.

Has it actually been confirmed that IF are replacing the Swift? I've read pure speculation on this site for the past few months, but nothing concrete...

As I understand it Swift will be around until 2018.

There is nothing ever concrete until there is an announcement to the stock exchange.

Has it actually been confirmed that IF are replacing the Swift? I've read pure speculation on this site for the past few months, but nothing concrete...

So far it's 100% speculation I think.

Until she is completely clapped out, I can't see why they would.

The bigger picture around the arrival of the newbuild in 2018 has still to become clear, until we know more it's impossible to say what they are doing.

The problem with the new ferry is it will be deployed to France at the weekends.

If Swift is retired then only the Ulysses will operate on Holyhead at the weekends which are busy times for passengers and cars. Ulysses could not cope with the passenger numbers on its own at busy periods.

I would therefore see it likely that a replacement plan is being put into place for the swift.

A replacement for Swift could be purchased up to a year in advance of its retirement just like in case of Oscar Wilde which was purchased six months in advance and leased back to Colour Line.

The problem with the new ferry is it will be deployed to France at the weekends.

If Swift is retired then only the Ulysses will operate on Holyhead at the weekends which are busy times for passengers and cars. Ulysses could not cope with the passenger numbers on its own at busy periods.

I would therefore see it likely that a replacement plan is being put into place for the swift.

A replacement for Swift could be purchased up to a year in advance of its retirement just like in case of Oscar Wilde which was purchased six months in advance and leased back to Colour Line.

We don't know for sure the actual plan for the newbuild. Press release used words "it is likely", that's not actual confirmation so anything flowing from that is pure conjecture at this stage.

The actual vessel is pure speculation but I think that Eamon Rothwell has been pretty clear in expressing the view that Swift will (eventually) be replaced and that IF plan to continue Fast Ferry operation for the forseeable future at least.  She's awkward crewing-wise but does well on the bank balance and also keeps competition away.  There will be fast ferry operation on the central corridor for a good while yet!

Pete

The actual vessel is pure speculation but I think that Eamon Rothwell has been pretty clear in expressing the view that Swift will (eventually) be replaced and that IF plan to continue Fast Ferry operation for the forseeable future at least.  She's awkward crewing-wise but does well on the bank balance and also keeps competition away.  There will be fast ferry operation on the central corridor for a good while yet!

Pete

Interesting - I had missed reporting of those comments.

Will the existing linkspans - particularly Terminal 2 at Holyhead - lend themselves to accomodating larger fastcraft?

T2 uses a pontoon barge infort of it just like in Dun Laoire.

This berth was used by Connacht and Leinster in the 1980s which would be equivalent length to
larger Austal or Incat fast craft.

Dublin Port has a double with Ramp also used by Epsilon and Isle of Inishmore when she is in Dublin.

The problem with the new ferry is it will be deployed to France at the weekends.

If Swift is retired then only the Ulysses will operate on Holyhead at the weekends which are busy times for passengers and cars. Ulysses could not cope with the passenger numbers on its own at busy periods.

I would therefore see it likely that a replacement plan is being put into place for the swift.

A replacement for Swift could be purchased up to a year in advance of its retirement just like in case of Oscar Wilde which was purchased six months in advance and leased back to Colour Line.

We don't know for sure the actual plan for the newbuild. Press release used words "it is likely", that's not actual confirmation so anything flowing from that is pure conjecture at this stage.

The new ferry is designed to work on both Holyhead and Continental routes.

Given the investment in cabins it is highly unlikely it will be dedicated to Holyhead service alone and in all probability could end up in the longer term replacing the Ocscar Wilde.

The problem with the new ferry is it will be deployed to France at the weekends.

If Swift is retired then only the Ulysses will operate on Holyhead at the weekends which are busy times for passengers and cars. Ulysses could not cope with the passenger numbers on its own at busy periods.

I would therefore see it likely that a replacement plan is being put into place for the swift.

A replacement for Swift could be purchased up to a year in advance of its retirement just like in case of Oscar Wilde which was purchased six months in advance and leased back to Colour Line.

We don't know for sure the actual plan for the newbuild. Press release used words "it is likely", that's not actual confirmation so anything flowing from that is pure conjecture at this stage.

The new ferry is designed to work on both Holyhead and Continental routes.

Given the investment in cabins it is highly unlikely it will be dedicated to Holyhead service alone and in all probability could end up in the longer term replacing the Ocscar Wilde.

Absolutely but my point was that we simply don't know so it's all conjecture.

Irish ferries Oscar Wilde is the oldest and most costly to maintain ship in the fleet . If you read the press release you will see they have an option on a second new build after the first is completed . In my opinion there is a chance they may go with this as they did when the inishfree was built. that could see both swift and Oscar sold . Pure speculation on my behalf

i agree the 2nd ferry is a likely candidate to replace Ocscar Wilde,

Please bear in Mind that IOI is not getting any younger and could be replaced herself in the longer term.