Isle of Inishmore to launch Dover - Calais route

[Kieran]

ICG have announced in a trading update this morning that the Isle of Inishmore is to launch a new Dover - Calais route for Irish Ferries.

[A83]

Wow! We didn't see that coming. If it was 5 days later I would have thought it was an April fool stunt. It begs a few questions notably given that IF have agreed to stay on in Pembroke Harbour what ship will replace IOI? Will it be Blue Star 1 or another vessel? Also what will the benefit be for Irish hauliers  over using a conventional service like Eurotunnel?

[Kieran]

x

Wow! We didn't see that coming. If it was 5 days later I would have thought it was an April fool stunt. It begs a few questions notably given that IF have agreed to stay on in Pembroke Harbour what ship will replace IOI? Will it be Blue Star 1 or another vessel? Also what will the benefit be for Irish hauliers  over using a conventional service like Eurotunnel?

Blue Star 1 is due to take over on Rosslare Pembroke.

It looks like Irish Ferries are banking on the landbridge being the way forward, the way they worded a lot of the media release makes it look like it is an "all-inclusive" extension of the Irish Sea services.

[ccs]

Wow! We didn't see that coming. If it was 5 days later I would have thought it was an April fool stunt. It begs a few questions notably given that IF have agreed to stay on in Pembroke Harbour what ship will replace IOI? Will it be Blue Star 1 or another vessel? Also what will the benefit be for Irish hauliers  over using a conventional service like Eurotunnel?

Confirmed here https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/news-listing/irish-ferries-introduces-a-newer-and-faster-ship-onto-the-rosslare-pembroke-route/

[ferryfan]

As well as scrubbers she will have to have those "cow cathchers" installed on the bow and alterations to her stern.

[giftgrub]

Normally remove stern doors/ ramp and add the cow catcher on the bow, allows shore ramp to go straight onto ferry, rather than ferry ramp to go onto shore side, speeds up docking/ undocking reducing turnaround times. No more three hours in port for Inishmore and the crew for loading/ unloading.

Stena Nordica got the treatment when it became Malo Seaways, images on this link

https://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/mv-malo-seaways-past-and-present/

Super fast X got the most subtle cow catcher when rebuilt for Seafrance

https://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/mv-a-nepita-past-and-present/

Stena Invicta, got a pretty ugly cow catcher

https://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/mv-stena-invicta-past-and-present/

As did Barfleur

https://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/barfleur-past-and-present/

2021 is definitely giving us a chance to see ferries in strange locations.

[alfie79]

how does addition of cow catchers quicken up un loading
doors open ramp still has to come down weather its ship or shore ramp

[Kieran]

how does addition of cow catchers quicken up un loading

In most ports, the ferries lower their ramp onto the linkspan, in Dover/Calais the ramp is lowered onto the ferry. I always thought it was just the design of the linkspans, and the docking procedure is different (I think it makes the mooring easier). It's fairly common in the States too for the ramp to be lowered onto the ferry too.

[Davy Jones]

Presumably this means after Inishmore is modified, She will be totally dedicated to Dover/Calais as she will not be able to connect with any of the Irish Sea linkspans.

[Kieran]

Presumably this means after Inishmore is modified, She will be totally dedicated to Dover/Calais as she will not be able to connect with any of the Irish Sea linkspans.

Probably! I can't remember where, but a ship came off Dover-Calais to another route, and until the cowcatcher was removed, a ramp had to be lifted into place every time she docked.

[ferryfan]

I wonder how the French unions will react to Irish Ferries and their outsourced non union underpaid yellow pack crews?

[Kieran]

The Franch unions have ignored IF sailing into Roscoff and Cherbourg for years (apart from a few incidents when the Normandy was flagged out first).

It's actually an English union that has raised it's concerns.

[ferryfan]

I wonder was there any substance to the (strongly denied) rumours last year that ICG were in discussions to purchase two vessels from P&O? No smoke without fire!

[dombaxter]

Presumably this means after Inishmore is modified, She will be totally dedicated to Dover/Calais as she will not be able to connect with any of the Irish Sea linkspans.

Probably! I can't remember where, but a ship came off Dover-Calais to another route, and until the cowcatcher was removed, a ramp had to be lifted into place every time she docked.

In the early 1990's (1993 or 1994), Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire ferry 'Stena Cambria' covered on the Dover-Calais route.

[ferryfan]

Isle of Inishmore at Damen, picture from Madden Marine (fitted out Swift and WB) who have completed a refurbishment of the interior. A few other pictures on Marine Traffic.