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Mega Express 4 going onto the berth in Holyhead now.

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

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 .

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 .

Epsilon and WB Yeats swapping round tomorrow. Yeats heads to Cherbourg Wednesday evening and Epsilon to Holyhead in the afternoon according to IF sailing updates but not according to the booking engine.

Any idea what is going on and when the refits are scheduled?

I had noticed that too ,but it appears to be for just one return crossing and then back to their normal routes , it could be that they need the bigger ship that day on Dublin /Cherbourg .

Image of Rosslare posted online by The Coffee Dock Rosslare Harbour

Brilliant photo , well done .

I've noticed Stena Forecaster on AIS as operating between Dublin and Liverpool ! anyone know anything about that .

I see Santander in the schedule now , is that just for the freight only schedule .

This is a huge commitment by DFDS 3 vessels dedicated to a new route some speculation that MV Kerry could be one of the vessels. Have the existing operators being caught napping or were they just not willing to take the gamble? time will tell. A 24 hour crossing as opposed to a 15 or 16 hour crossing through Holyhead/Rosslare to Dover might make sense.
If you allow for the mandatory driver breaks ie 45 minutes break after every 4 1/2 hours,the drive from Holyhead to Dover takes approx 9 hours depending on traffic the two ferry crossing times 3/12 and 2 hours and waiting times say an hour at each port  come to a travel time of approximately 18 hours then add in the unknown the new customs procedures which I suspect will ad at least a couple more hours.
Further details are expected later today from DFDS.

Plus the 3 to 3 and a half hours to cross to the UK from Dublin or Rosslare .

Stena Baltica is returning to France at the moment and  back wearing Brittany Ferries livery she will revert back to her previous name of Cotentin .

Svenja has finally arrived and anchored off of Galway with her new ferry cargo on deck

Brexit and Covid spring to mind .

Svenja has departed Belem in Brazil with her next port of call at Galway on 02/11/2020 at 07:00 .

I read recently that the hauliers want a sea route to the continent that can match the 20 hour land bridge route , Rosslare to Cherbourg is 17 hours and if La Havre is their preference it's two and a half from Cherbourg so they still beat the 20 hour land bridge time .

Well she was handed over to her owners which means sea trials are complete .

Under going sea trials at the moment in China , as scheduled .