Irish Ferries Fleet movements

[hhvferry]

NIFERRY reporting that IF are to charter Mega Express 4 from Corsica ferries expected arrival by end of next week
https://www.niferry.co.uk/irish-ferries-to-charter-corsican-ferry/

The most interesting charter for a few years!
She's a big, big passenger ship now but still has decent freight meterage.

Interesting to see if they need to make any modifications to make her fit the berths.

I assume IF have done their homework and she won't encounter any regulatory or inspection difficulties when she arrives.

[scomac]

Important to note this charter is for refit cover only

[Chef]

I can see the need for a vessel with plenty of passenger/ cabin space as it's needed to  allow truck drivers to have their own cabin due to Covid on the longer crossing to the continent and as scomac  pointed out the vessel is only for refit cover so no modifications would be on the cards plus I doubt IF would charter a vessel if it was not compatible with the ports that they operate  to and from .

[ferryfan]

It looks like Ulysses will be heading off first with WB Yeats taking up her schedule from Monday 15th February. There is nothing for Ireland - France on the booking engine for that week.
There will be no concerns about Mega Express 4 fitting berths as she is a Superfast Vessel originally built as Superfast 2.

[ferryfan]

When was the last time Irish Ferries charted a ropax vessel other than Epsilon. (not counting Stena Foreteller last year)

[IFPete]

Mega Express 4 has more lane metres than Oscar Wilde had.

She was modified to increase her cabin capacity from 1950 LM to 1400 LM.

She is a sister of the Brittany Ferries Vessel Cap Finist?re.

She has a dip pool on her upper deck and good facilities on board.

The lease is initially for 2 months, however given Covid and Brexit and post covid demand she may hang around for longer.

[hhvferry]

Mega Express 4 has more lane metres than Oscar Wilde had.

She was modified to increase her cabin capacity from 1950 LM to 1400 LM.

She is a sister of the Brittany Ferries Vessel Cap Finist?re.

No, the only real relationship she has with Cap Finistere is her original owners and their funnel design - this is the ex-Superfast II and the first two prototype Superfasts were rather different in lots of ways - less evolved hull shape, different shipyard, different interior designers, rather less opulent and less extensive passenger facilities.

Since then Corsica Ferries have bolted on the new accommodation blocks (Spirit of Tasmania added the nasty little conservatory type thing on the upper deck) and overall there's very little you would identify as common in the passenger spaces between her and ships like the Superfast V, VII, VIII and X which have sailed on Irish routes before.
Still, she is quite tidy on board but largely fitted out in Corsica Ferries' corporate style which has barely evolved over the past 40 years.

As built they had decent freight capacity and the ship had facility for twin level loading, which have never been used as none of her operators have ever sailed anywhere with the required ramps so own her internal ramps have always been used to get to the upper vehicle deck. The early refit with Corsica Ferries built cabins, reclining seat lounges and a new reception area into the aft upper vehicle deck which now means, at the stern, single level loading is the only option. I've not seen her bow visor operational for years and years but, as far as I can tell, it could plausibly work and there's nothing to suggest the upper vehicle deck door forward couldn't be made to work either - unless her owners have made modifications which mean this isn't possible. Best guess is she operates as a stern-only loader.

My point on compatibility with ramps is that this ship for almost all her career has operated to ports without linkspans, she just presents her on-board ramp to the quayside and parks up. As a comparison the Superfast X had her bow and stern access equipment rebuilt when she was on the Dover-Calais run which made her easily compatible for the Holyhead route. For a brief charter obviously they won't do that but they may need to tinker with things to make her fit properly, similar to what, if anything, the Epsilon has had done to her.

[IFPete]

Epsilon was delayed going into service first due to issues with training and a life boat.

Hopefully Mega Express 4 will not take too long to go into service.

[ferryfan]

Both Visenti's departing Dublin for Cherbourg this evening. I hope some of the new ferry routes and ships are still around when we are allowed travel again.

[hhvferry]

Here's a quick look around the Mega Express Four - she's a bright, colourful ship whose primary market is people heading on holiday to Corsica:

http://hhvferry.com/blog/?p=7221

[ferryfan]

Here's a quick look around the Mega Express Four - she's a bright, colourful ship whose primary market is people heading on holiday to Corsica:

http://hhvferry.com/blog/?p=7221

Great article the interior reminds me of the Stena Hibernia in the 1990's.
Irish Ferries have updated their timetable WB is taking over Ulysses schedule with Epsilon taking up the Dublin Cherbourg run and Mega Express covering Dublin to Holyhead with a weekend run to Cherbourg.

[Chef]

Here's a quick look around the Mega Express Four - she's a bright, colourful ship whose primary market is people heading on holiday to Corsica:

http://hhvferry.com/blog/?p=7221

Well if anything she'll add a splash of colour to Holyhead .

[A83]

Mega Express 4 going onto the berth in Holyhead now.

[Chef]

Mega Express 4 going onto the berth in Holyhead now.

Big difference in the weather for the crew , hope they brought wooly jumpers .

[anglesey_boy]

Mega Express 4 going onto the berth in Holyhead now.

ME4 looks so small in comparison to Ulysses! I was driving along by Tinto or would have managed a pic of them both!