The future of Rosslare Europort

Started by cosseric.coss, March 27, 2014, 08:09:51 AM

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PaddyL

#15
May 30, 2015, 08:07:09 PM
A friend from Stena told me that for the vast majority of sailings one ship could cope with both company's traffic, so maybe a joint service is the answer?

Steven

#16
June 02, 2015, 03:02:18 AM
Quote from: PaddyL on May 30, 2015, 08:07:09 PM
A friend from Stena told me that for the vast majority of sailings one ship could cope with both company's traffic, so maybe a joint service is the answer?
Its been done before, but I personally doubt the two companies are currently in the mood to cooperate.  The problem with Rosslare to Wales is it is a very seasonal route.  Stena Nordica would be more than adequate for most of the year passenger wise I believe (though her freight space would be wasted, given Europe has just over half the amount and doesn't need it). Irish Ferries could also get away with a smaller vessel for much of the year, but again, need to be able to accommodate the demand during busy periods. Like elsewhere, passenger numbers have declined, but the freight hasn't really materialised on the scale it has elsewhere.  Coupled with the general shift of traffic on the Irish Sea to the central corridor, the future for Rosslare as a ferry port is far from rosy as things stand.
Steve in Belfast (suburbia)

Flickr: www.flickr.com/tarbyonline

PaddyL

#17
June 02, 2015, 11:15:32 AM
Quote from: Steven on June 02, 2015, 03:02:18 AM
Quote from: PaddyL on May 30, 2015, 08:07:09 PM
A friend from Stena told me that for the vast majority of sailings one ship could cope with both company's traffic, so maybe a joint service is the answer?
Its been done before, but I personally doubt the two companies are currently in the mood to cooperate.  The problem with Rosslare to Wales is it is a very seasonal route.  Stena Nordica would be more than adequate for most of the year passenger wise I believe (though her freight space would be wasted, given Europe has just over half the amount and doesn't need it). Irish Ferries could also get away with a smaller vessel for much of the year, but again, need to be able to accommodate the demand during busy periods. Like elsewhere, passenger numbers have declined, but the freight hasn't really materialised on the scale it has elsewhere.  Coupled with the general shift of traffic on the Irish Sea to the central corridor, the future for Rosslare as a ferry port is far from rosy as things stand.

Would agree about Wales, but from what I have read the Continental routes seem to be doing well.  Even the short-lived LD Lines route to France and Spain was said to be full passenger wise.

giftgrub

#21
December 06, 2015, 09:00:39 PM
Was in Rosslare Harbour on Saturday Morning, they are finally resurfacing the roundabout at the bottom of the hill, they have gone down a good way and replacing the block paving with about two feet thick Tarmacadam, finally the big dip in the surface is gone.

20knots

#22
December 06, 2015, 09:23:51 PM
That's good to hear.

Sight lines are not great for people exiting the rail station and crossing that road just before the roundabout (to head for the terminal and village). I've always felt there should be flashing orange beacons. Some vehicles ignore the speed limit and come down Delaps Hill a bit too quick.

Some months ago I noticed they painted "person" logos on the footpath between the station and terminal.

giftgrub

#23
January 01, 2016, 02:26:16 PM
Roundabout is nearly finished in Rosslare Harbour, just waiting for finishing layer to go on, assume once rain moves on in few weeks they will get a chance to finish it. Hopefully they will get a chance to renew road markings from the berths to the customs hall at some stage, last time I came off the ferry, markings not easy to see.

giftgrub

#24
January 25, 2016, 10:14:50 PM Last Edit: January 25, 2016, 10:27:12 PM by giftgrub
More Rosslare Europort news, just what is needed a 10 million euro access road to the port !!!!!

Why ?

http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/new-port-road-is-a-step-nearer-34378634.html


Assume this is a plan to make the back road to the local fishing area a main access road, no need to waste 10 million in my opinion, current main road works perfectly.

ccs

#25
January 26, 2016, 10:35:08 AM
Quote from: giftgrub on January 25, 2016, 10:14:50 PM
More Rosslare Europort news, just what is needed a 10 million euro access road to the port !!!!!

Why ?

http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/news/new-port-road-is-a-step-nearer-34378634.html


Assume this is a plan to make the back road to the local fishing area a main access road, no need to waste 10 million in my opinion, current main road works perfectly.

General election coming very soon  ;)

awaityourreply

#26
February 07, 2016, 08:20:21 PM Last Edit: February 07, 2016, 08:24:31 PM by awaityourreply
Over the years, I've always found those of the Irish ferryport terminal buildings I've passed through to be relatively dull and lacking in terms of facilities and imagination when compared to some of our Airports.

Below are the Ferryport Terminal Buildings in Ireland that I've used at various times since 1978:

* former Tivoli Ferry Terminal Building, Tivoli Industrial Estate, Cork - late 70's/early 80's
* Rosslare Europort (Iarnród Éireann/C.I.E.), Rosslare, Co. Wexford - mid-1980's/1990's/2001
* Ringaskiddy Ferry Terminal Building, County Cork  - 1990's/2012
* Dún Laoghaire's older ferry terminal building - it was 1995/'96 BEFORE Stena Line revamped it's facilities in the late 1990s   

When I took a Stena Line ferry from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead in the mid 1990's I was astonished at the ancient wooden buildings that were falling apart and still being used as a Ferry Terminal. It was old, dusty and uninviting and way behind the times in every respect. Eventually this was replaced by Stena Line in the late '90s but it took them a very long time to move into the 1990's as what was there prior to that was something you might appreciate if it had been restored in all it's old grandeur but it was clearly neglected for decades by the harbour authorities.

If one considers that Rosslare Europort has often been described as one of the main gateways into Ireland and was given "EuroPort" status some years ago. I have always been totally unimpressed by the overall lack of modern comfortable facilities especially when the port enjoyed busier times in years past. The body that runs Rosslare Europort, Iarnród Éireann (a part of C.I.E.) have never had the financial resources, interest or much imagination in developing Rosslare Europort.

Improving roadways and roundabouts is all very fine but I think Rosslare Europort's best days are well behind them in terms of traffic and it looks like Dublin Port is the port that will see more & more growth going forward. I suspect we may well see more French services using Dublin Port following the introduction of the Epsilon on the Dublin Port to Cherbourg route last year with rumours that Dublin - Roscoff may also be added to the list of routes to/from Dublin. This is not good news for Rosslare at a time when both operators: Irish Ferries & Stena Line are finding it very challenging running TWO services from Rosslare to two ports in South Wales.     

NathanBrady

#27
February 08, 2016, 08:55:18 PM
Quote from: PaddyL on May 30, 2015, 08:07:09 PM
A friend from Stena told me that for the vast majority of sailings one ship could cope with both company's traffic, so maybe a joint service is the answer?
Or maybe one will just decide it isn't worth the time and money anymore?

welsh weather

#28
February 09, 2016, 11:25:14 AM
Quote from: PaddyL on May 30, 2015, 08:07:09 PM
A friend from Stena told me that for the vast majority of sailings one ship could cope with both company's traffic, so maybe a joint service is the answer?
Hell would have to freeze over first! These companies hate working with each other as it is

20knots

#29
February 09, 2016, 07:22:02 PM
I think this has been mentioned in the past in this forum but what I'd like to see on the Southern Corridor is the departures to (and from) Pembrokeshire spread across the day. So instead of the current 08.45 IF, 09.00 SL, 20.45 IF & 21.15 SL ex Rosslare (which seems to be dictated much more by competitive tension rather than what may be best for customers) one might have a sailing schedule along the following lines:
03.00, 09.00, 15.00 & 21.00

The only benefit (in my view) of both companies sailing minutes apart is if, God forbid, one ship got into serious difficulty the other ship would often be the most proximate vessel to it and able to render assistance before any other help would arrive.

But I won't bet even the modest cost of a bap from the terminal café that a spread of departures like this will ever happen!

(IF = Irish Ferries; SL = Stena Line)
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