Irish Ferries HUll 777

[RorieLen]

I read somewhere that they were going to swap the rosters of Stena Estrid and Stena Adventurer.

Hardly likely for the reasons above, mainly that Estrid will still be smaller than Adventurer and she seems to work the busier sailings.

[Steven]

Sounds like madness given there are already times when Adventurer is full of freight on her night sailing!  Its for the same reason the intention is to run FSG777 on Ulysses schedule - that's generally the busier sailing

[SEA]

Going back to the  topic of Hull 777  ..... I am south of the Boarder and I was like a lot of readers really very sad to hear of H&W closure  . It seems a shame that we have such a fabulous  amenity going into Liquidation and there again we see  FSG are unable to keep up with their management of their new builds ??.... This will never happen but here goes , If common sense were to prevail why cant the modules for the new ship be floated over from Poland to Belfast and the ship could be built here  in Ireland creating jobs and saving employment . Irish Ferry  Irish jobs, sounds crazy but will never happen .

[IFPete]

Build 781 is progressing again. Build 780 looks ready for sea trials.

[marsav68]

Build 781 is progressing again. Build 780 looks ready for sea trials.

And I noticed they were painting the hull on Honfleur over the weekend.

[marsav68]

Hull 780 - Leevsten - appears to be taking on fuel this morning and a lot of progress on 781 the last week.

Painting continuing on Honfleur

http://31.209.185.102/view/viewer_index.shtml?id=114000
http://31.209.185.103/view/viewer_index.shtml?id=125901

[marsav68]

Hull 780 - Leevsten - seems to have started sea trials this morning.

[giftgrub]

Talk on the Facebook that IF next new build might come from China and not FSG.

https://www.tradewindsnews.com/shipyards/irish-ferries-eyes-china-for-next-ropax-amid-delays-in-germany/2-1-658054?fbclid=IwAR14aVlGl5VQ6aIJN2Y6rApq2xCrLFoN4FJsn_0hANmxXNNgidxKOgiUSLk

One of the yards mentioned is Avic Weihai where the Stena EFlexer series are being built. Obviously would be a big delay if rumors are true and a new ship ordered and designed.

Unlikely but not impossible IF could even charter a version of the E Flexer themselves, Brittany Ferries and DFDS seem happy with the concept.

[IFPete]

We may find out next thursday, when the company issues a trading update.

I would be surprised if Hull 777 is cancelled. The Shipyard is settling down,

[Steven]

More on the China reports at NI Ferry Site and some details of the FSG design and in particular the three tier bow loading.  If the China report is true it may well just be part of a contingency plan.  With regard to delivery date it looks on the surface as though it would need to be 2023, but Jinling have huge capacity and also a number of sister yards - they also appear to already starting to work together.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/could-irish-ferries-new-dublin-holyhead-ferry-be-built-in-china-instead-of-germany/

The Shipyard is settling down,

Is that a fact or just your opinion though?  To be honest it's hard to see how this vessel will be ready during 2020 - which again may trigger severe delivery penalties.  There's been some speculation that it might actually be cheaper for FSG to cancel the order themselves!  There also still seems to be a question mark over the finance to commence the build.  At the end of the day if they can't afford to start the ship there will be no ship.

[IFPete]

The fact that vessels are being completed is good news. Most Bankrupties are sudden leaving carnage everywhere.

The issue of financing would be a matter for EU or German Local Goverment. If it does not come then the shipyard will be forced to close. I would imagine that FSG will make an announcement soon.

[Steven]

The fact that vessels are being completed is good news. Most Bankrupties are sudden leaving carnage everywhere.

The issue of financing would be a matter for EU or German Local Goverment. If it does not come then the shipyard will be forced to close. I would imagine that FSG will make an announcement soon.

The big problem is the local government appear to have run out of patience with a yard that they have been supporting but for over a decade but continues to lose money.  It seems promises to turn things around if they get funding have been made and broken - I suppose the state has to justify to all of their citizens why millions continue to get thrown at one workplace to sustain around 600 jobs.  With the shipyards location on the border with Denmark all of those jobs won't even be done by people living in the state either!  Looking at subcontractors and the like a lot of those jobs are outside the region as well.  Whether the new investor will eventually put their hands in their pocket remains to be seen - perhaps they see it as a last resort.  From the state and EU perspective the investment company knew what they where getting into when they agreed to take a majority stake so why should they bankroll the yard for an investment firm to take any profit?  The EU can hardly step in when they haven't elsewhere where shipbuilding has been a much bigger employer, for example in Spain.  Perhaps we will find out more on Thursday in any case!  I'm sure all of us agree it is better if this ship gets built as planned.  As I pointed out elsewhere even if it was delivered a year late it would likely arrive much sooner than a vessel ordered from elsewhere!  You can see why ICG might want an insurance policy though given it will take months, even years to arrange an alternative ship!

[ferryfan]

The timetable for WB Yeats for next year shows that she will operate the route from end of March to end of September 2020.
So the original plan that 777 would be in service by "mid 2020" (according to IF) is clearly not going to happen. If WB is not operating to France after September 2020 then you could assume that 777 is not now expected to be in service at that time. The original plan was for 777 to take over from Epsilon which was in turn to be returned to her owners and for WB to operate year round Dublin to Cherbourg.
Of course if 777 does arrive on time! things can change.

[IFPete]

Build 777 is not due until late 2020 , December 2020 if everything goes to plan. Epsilons lease is due for renewal Nov 2020.

[jimjoe]

Build 777 is not due until late 2020 , December 2020 if everything goes to plan. Epsilons lease is due for renewal Nov 2020.

In their half year results ICG said they've a further 1 year option after that if needed. Covering themselves for delays by the sounds of it