Irish Ferries Fleet movements

Started by Collision-course, January 05, 2010, 02:52:47 PM

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Steven

Epsilon off service for a couple of weeks from 11th April, but not covered according to the IF web booking engine.
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

Collision-course

Quote from: Steven on March 19, 2016, 04:38:55 PM
Epsilon off service for a couple of weeks from 11th April, but not covered according to the IF web booking engine.
Thats odd , I wonder what prompted that.

giftgrub

Surely due a dry docking and what can they use to cover ??, Ulysses can take any additional freight and Oscar can take French traffic.

Davy Jones

If they bedded the Swift at Holyhead for the duration, they could run an extra trip morning (HLY>DUB) and evening (DUB>HLY) which would be broadly on Epsilons sailing times and should shift a few passengers and cars. Have to pay Stena more port costs though.

Alternatively, 4 full round trips for her. I think its been done before, Just hope the weather is good.

NathanBrady

My IF mate says she is going to de dry dock.  No need to cover her for passengers as she don't take too many anyway.  He doesn't think they are bringing in anything to take da freight though.

NathanBrady

Quote from: Davy Jones on March 20, 2016, 09:30:55 AM
If they bedded the Swift at Holyhead for the duration, they could run an extra trip morning (HLY>DUB) and evening (DUB>HLY) which would be broadly on Epsilons sailing times and should shift a few passengers and cars. Have to pay Stena more port costs though.

Alternatively, 4 full round trips for her. I think its been done before, Just hope the weather is good.
Epsilon' passenger capacity is tiny anyway. If dey needed that much capacity den Swift would already be on that timetable?

RorieLen

I was on the Epsilon a couple of days ago and heard talk that she is definitely going to dry dock for two weeks. Falmouth was suggested but hadn't been confirmed. It was suggested there will be no cover with French sailings cancelled for two weekends (I think) and some sort of agreement with Stena to take some freight, presumably in the same way Stena buy space on the Rosslare route when Stena Europe is at refit.

I honesty can't think there would be any need for Swift to do any more trips as Epsilon primarily moves freight anyway and there is plenty of capacity left for tourist traffic on Ulysses and Swift for a couple of weeks.

Steven

As already mentioned, there's no real need to provide passenger cover due to the already low volume of passengers carried by Epsilon, especially in comparison to her running mates.  As for the Swift covering, surely tickets would be on sale by now anyway!  Presumably France traffic will be moved to Oscar down at Rosslare.  It would still appear to hand a lot of traffic to Stena, Seatruck and P&O though if no freighter has been brought in.
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

giftgrub

Not handing freight to other operators if they do a space charter with Stena for those that need to be carried at Epsilon time and Ulysses still has plenty of capacity for the rest, not many vessels available on short term charter market at this time of the year.

Davy Jones

If I recall correctly, Epsilon was brought in to provide an alternative to (at the time) Stena Nordica's schedule, which by all accounts was very popular and frequently full. However, if Superfast X capacity is only similar to the Nordica, then would she have capacity to charter space out? Even if she had, Stena could refuse an arrangement knowing that the clients wishing to travel around those sailing times could book directly onto the Superfast anyway. Why share the profits?

IFPete

Irish Ferries Lease on Epsilon finishes in November in its present form, Maybe Irish Ferries have decided to purchase her and the drydocking is pre purchase requirement.

Otherwise she would be drydocked in November prior to return to Cartour.

IFPete

She would make a long term ideal freight ship to Cherbourg and Saint Sebastian or Bilbao,

Steven

Quote from: Davy Jones on March 20, 2016, 09:53:33 PM
If I recall correctly, Epsilon was brought in to provide an alternative to (at the time) Stena Nordica's schedule, which by all accounts was very popular and frequently full. However, if Superfast X capacity is only similar to the Nordica, then would she have capacity to charter space out? Even if she had, Stena could refuse an arrangement knowing that the clients wishing to travel around those sailing times could book directly onto the Superfast anyway. Why share the profits?
Presumably IF are paying Stena a rate which makes it worth their while.

Quote from: IFPete on March 20, 2016, 10:33:30 PM
Irish Ferries Lease on Epsilon finishes in November in its present form, Maybe Irish Ferries have decided to purchase her and the drydocking is pre purchase requirement.

Otherwise she would be drydocked in November prior to return to Cartour.
A look on the RINA website indicates Epsilon is due a lot of survey/certification work next month.  No idea what most of it means though.  I also wonder could a more permanent fix to her recent troubles be getting applied?  Word is that if ICG do want to take her on either an extended charter or purchase that it is not a decision that is in their hands.
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

NathanBrady

Mate says IF paying Stena a fortune for space on the Superfast boat.  Also said P&O getting something in to cover European Endeavour.

IFPete

The Stena Superfast X sailings attract good loads.