Ulysses and Epsilon featured in this months "Ships Monthly" magazine, Ulysses is ship of the month feature and Epsilon is interview with captain.

ICG Interim management statement

(a couple of excerpts)

Year to Date Volumes
Cumulatively, in the 46 weeks to 15 November 2014, total passengers carried were up 5% at 1,507,500, while cars carried were up 9% at 347,200. RoRo freight volumes in the same period were up 22% on last year at 216,200 units.

Group revenue for the nine months to the end of September 2014 was €224.1 million (2013: €205.6 million), up 9.0%. Revenue in the Ferries division was up 13.0% compared with the comparable period in 2013, while in the Container & Terminal division cumulative revenue was up 2.5% year on year. EBITDA for the nine months was €42.1 million (2013: €42.7 million), reflecting the additional operational costs of the Epsilon which was introduced in late 2013. Operating profit for the nine months was €29.0 million compared with €28.7 million in the same period in 2013. Net debt at the end of September was €57.6 million compared with €71.9 million at 30 June 2014. Subsequent to the quarter end the interim dividend of €6.4 million was paid.

Full statement at
http://www.icg.ie/documents/Interim-Management-Statement-Quarter-3-2014.pdf?v=2

I understand Irish Ferries have to decide in 2015 as to order a new built or buy second hand Ferry to replace the Epsilon for Dublin - Holyhead Route. She has been so successful her limited passenger capacity and inability to take foot passengers makes here replacement with a bigger ferry compelling. She has been a great success as a utility ferry and her large cargo capacity and lower car decks have made her ideal for carrying new cars from France to Ireland which greatly subsidises her running costs. I understand her lease was initially for two years with an option to extend.   

I could see her used on more frequent sailings to France when her replacement goes into service on Dublin Holyhead.

Hopefully Holyhead-Dublin will get the IOI 

How long does the charter on Kaitaki (Isle of Innisfree) run for? Is she large enough for Roslaire if the Inishmore comes North?

Also, how would the Inishmore cope with the weekly France run?

I think the Innisfree would cope rather well either on the Rosslare and Dublin routes considering that is what she operated on from 1995-2001. The charter currently lasts until 2017, but Interislander are considering a fleet replacement so she may return sooner, which would be good for Irish Ferries.  Personally I would have her at Holyhead with the Ulysses and Johnathon Swift, then the Inishmore left at Rosslare-Pembroke, the Oscar Wilde on the Irish-France route at Rosslare and the Epsilon (with a little work to extend her accommodation) on the Dublin equivalent. 

There is no reason for IF not to increase freight sailings to France from either Dublin or Rosslare or possibly spain from Rosslare or Pembroke Dock.

I saw prictures of Oscar Wildes half sister MS Prinsesse Ragnhild holed in Freeport Jamaica.

She would make an ideal running mate for Oscar on routes to the continent.

If they were able to sail into port of Brest they would avoid paying the fuel emissions.

As regards the Oscar Wilde, the Company will have to look at replacing her?

Ideal combination in my option is:

Ulysses and Inishmore ( No French Run at weekends) on Holyhead

Innisfree on Rosslare

Oscar wilde on Seasonal french route

Epsilon year round on France and Spanish Route with better accomadation

Jonathan Swift on a seasonal service on Dublin - Holyhead

Would love to see the Innisfree back but I sadly do not see it, So I guess a new Build will be needed sooner or Later and I guess a Ulysses type vessel

Kaitaki will be 20 years old next year, so I can't see her ever returning to European waters. Inishmore will likely stay at Rosslare so IF will have to find suitable ship to replace Epsilon on Holyhead run.

I understand Irish Ferries have to decide in 2015 as to order a new built or buy second hand Ferry to replace the Epsilon for Dublin - Holyhead Route. She has been so successful her limited passenger capacity and inability to take foot passengers makes here replacement with a bigger ferry compelling. She has been a great success as a utility ferry and her large cargo capacity and lower car decks have made her ideal for carrying new cars from France to Ireland which greatly subsidises her running costs. I understand her lease was initially for two years with an option to extend.   

I could see her used on more frequent sailings to France when her replacement goes into service on Dublin Holyhead.

They could just buy the Epsilon and rebuild the top deck with extra passenger capacity or charter one of the sister ships with higher passenger capacity either.

Inishmore last sailing of 2014 on the Rosslare to Pembroke route is 08:45hrs this Friday. Once she dicks back in Rosslare on Friday evening, after discharge she will lock up for her journey to Dublin. Oscar Wilde picking up 20:45hrs Friday night

Obviously I'm not on the ground down there, but some of what I have been hearing suggests Epsilon has not been the runaway success ICG have been suggesting (ICG do need to impress their shareholders afterall).  Certainly she allows IF to compete on frequency with Stena, but do her carryings between Wales and Ireland justify significant investment in either replacing her or upgrading her (which may be easier said than done).  Speaking to those "lucky" enough to travel in her she would appear to compare very unfavourably from a passenger perspective to Ulysees, and also Stena Adventurer and one would also assume Stena Superfast X (and some even say Stena Nordica)  Personally I feel her future lies as a replacement for the oldest ship in the fleet - Oscar Wilde.  She is ideal for the French run IMHO in that she can shift a lot of freight very efficiently with ample space for those all important trade cars.  Being a Visentini she should also be relatively straight forward to upgrade with scrubbers, etc and it puts IF on a similar cost base to Stena - Oscar cannot be a cheap ship to run.

 As for the central corridor, perhaps something will be displaced from the Baltic which could be made suitable.  Unless they where to build (and possibly even if they did build)  in the far-East any new build would be prohibitively expensive, and the uncertainty regarding the future of the industry in relation to upcoming legislation and the slow return on investment means raising the capital could be problematic - ask Britanny Ferries!  Yard space isn't easy to come by either these days with cruise and cargo ships filling up order books for the next few years in just about every European yard capable of building a large ferry.  What could be made suitable?  Well that's a tricky question - Stena's success with the Superfasts up here and the conversions for Marine Atlantic show that anything is possible with the right team in place.  Personaly I wouldn't be surprised to see Isle of Inishmore move North again and any new acquisition be placed on the Pembroke run so IF can go toe to toe with Stena on the premier run.  I'm still not convinced the swift's future is secure either, particularly if passenger capacity is increased in the conventional tonnage.  Whatever happens, there's going to be a big increase in passenger capacity compared to just a couple of years ago meaning things could get very interesting!  I also wouldn't be surprised if Stena have a surprise hand to play either.

I guess IF will see how the market is effected by introduction of the new Stena ship before they react.

I have a feeling they might approach Stena to buy specific tonnage. IOI sister (Stena Jutlandica) tops that list given her size and seaworthy qualities and accomodation growth opportunities. A conversion on this ship could include two deck drive through and scubber installation.

I also see Epsilon as a long term solution for freight travel to france with OW used for tourist market.

Because of it is leased IF cannot alter Epsilon internally so unfortunately her accomodation is very basic by
Irish Sea Standards, hence the need for an out of the box long term replacement. 

Somehow I don't see IF buying the Jutlandica from Stena, it's a very similar vintage to the Innisfree. It would be cheaper to bring the Innisfree back and completely refit her than buying Jutlandica and updating/refiting her...nice thought to have the two sisters in IF colours though

The Innisfree is a smaller and older vessel and the lease could be further extended,

Both the IOI and Stena Jutlandica have a lot of lessons learned from the Isle of Inishfree.

Remember Lease rental for this IO Inishfree helps IF cask flow

The crew rest area and Games Area below the car decks were not a good idea.

A new build would not be available for three years which is too long away and Stena would be happy for the cash a lease or sale of the Stena Jutlandica would generate. The Jutlandica is a one off in the Stena Fleet.