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The problem with the new ferry is it will be deployed to France at the weekends.

If Swift is retired then only the Ulysses will operate on Holyhead at the weekends which are busy times for passengers and cars. Ulysses could not cope with the passenger numbers on its own at busy periods.

I would therefore see it likely that a replacement plan is being put into place for the swift.

A replacement for Swift could be purchased up to a year in advance of its retirement just like in case of Oscar Wilde which was purchased six months in advance and leased back to Colour Line.

We don't know for sure the actual plan for the newbuild. Press release used words "it is likely", that's not actual confirmation so anything flowing from that is pure conjecture at this stage.

The new ferry is designed to work on both Holyhead and Continental routes.

Given the investment in cabins it is highly unlikely it will be dedicated to Holyhead service alone and in all probability could end up in the longer term replacing the Ocscar Wilde.

T2 uses a pontoon barge infort of it just like in Dun Laoire.

This berth was used by Connacht and Leinster in the 1980s which would be equivalent length to
larger Austal or Incat fast craft.

Dublin Port has a double with Ramp also used by Epsilon and Isle of Inishmore when she is in Dublin.

The problem with the new ferry is it will be deployed to France at the weekends.

If Swift is retired then only the Ulysses will operate on Holyhead at the weekends which are busy times for passengers and cars. Ulysses could not cope with the passenger numbers on its own at busy periods.

I would therefore see it likely that a replacement plan is being put into place for the swift.

A replacement for Swift could be purchased up to a year in advance of its retirement just like in case of Oscar Wilde which was purchased six months in advance and leased back to Colour Line.

There is nothing ever concrete until there is an announcement to the stock exchange.

My favourate fast ferry to replace the Swift is the Austal 112 Metre MV Leonora Christina currently operating for BornholmerFærgen to and from  Bornholm until September 2017. She can hold 1'400 passengers and 355 cars on three decks or a mixture of 113 cars and up to 40 buses, vans and trucks. She loads both through Bow and Stern allowing vehicles access to all decks. She was constructed in 2011 as Austals biggest ever car ferry so she is relatively young, She uses 7.4 tons of fuel per hour at  38 knots with a full load equating to 50 tons of fuel daily being more fuel efficient and cost effective to run than the swift.

The main dimensions are: LOA 112.6 m, beam 26.2 m and maximum draft 4.85 m, maximum deadweight 1,102 tons (1,000 tonnes). Although shorter that Austal's 127 m trimaran ferry Commadore Liberation in terms of carrying capacity with 1400 passengers and 355 cars, the vessel is one of the world's largest high speed ferries and has the highest vehicle-passenger capacity of any Austal built vessel. Due to the vessel's size the 187 ton (170 tonne) upper deck "super unit" could only be fitted after the hull emerged the fabrication hall

The vessel's wheelhouse extends across the full width of the vessel, providing the crew with maximum visibility especially in winter fog, snow and other adverse conditions. It is equipped with Austal's Marine Link fully integrated monitoring and control system providing the ship's engineers with the ability to monitor and control the vessel's safety, propulsion, generating and other operationally critical systems.

Propulsion is provided by four MAN 20V 28/33D medium speed diesel engines each rated at 12,064 hp (9,000 kW) at 1,000 rpm. The engines are arranged in an offset tandem configuration, two per hull driving four Rolls-Royce KaMeWa 125 SIIINP water jets via Reintjes 7541 transmissions. Maximum speed is 40 kn with a service speed at 90 per cent MCR of 37.6 kn.

Her higher placement in the water over the swift should help her to operate at higher wave heights on the irish sea making her more weather resilient and to take bigger summer and weekend loads on the Dublin - Holyhead route.

Potentially i could see her operating from Dublin to the Isle of Man in the evenings at weekends.

I would say 90 % plus of the specification was agreed prior to contract.

Irish Ferries employ their own naval archictects and specified 80 % of the Ulysses prior to contract.

The Nose is a good idea to protect deck equipment and for fuel saving.

I agree it is prudent to have a back up when bringing a new ship or aircraft type into service. we kept three Boeing 747s flying in support of A330s when we introduced the A330 on the Atlantic at Aer Lingus in 1994. When the A330 settled down two Boeing 747s were retired and one was used for summer growth in 1995.

I doubt Epsilon will go back early. Oscar Wilde struggles to take freight during the summer due to high passenger and car numbers on Cherbourg and Rosscoff Routes. I would see Epsilon running freight into cherbourg and allowing Oscar Wilde to spend more time running to Rosscoff. The New Ferry could be very successful on France route at weekends and may end up being permanently on continental routes when the second new build comes on line.

According to Irish Ferries Press Release yesterday, Epsilon has had her lease extended for 24 months to Nov 2018.

With the new ferry due to arrive in May 2018 this raises the question of further route or frequency expansion within the Irish Ferries Network,

I suspect Epsilon will operate an expanded Dublin / Rosslare - Cherbourg Frequency with the occasional visit to Holyhead between Dublin - Cherbourg sailings.

Irish Ferries Crew Schedule retains the Swift operation until the end of 2016.

Leonora Christina will be available in September 2018 when the franchise it operates under expires. she would be more ideal replacement for Swift being bigger and more able to handle irish sea at higher wave heights.

I would expect Westpack Express to go into service with irish Navy as a utility vessel when she finishes her charter to the US goverment.

The future of the swift is secure for two years in any case.

A seasonal service after that would look likely given the fact that the new ferry can comfortably handle passengers and freight in less busy periods,

A second new build could replace Oscar Wilde in 2019 / 2020 and a third could replace the IOI.

I would not be surprised in Irish Ferries investing in a couple of 2nd hand Visentini ships for leasing out or route development if they secure them at the right price.

Great News,

This ship ticks all the boxes for use on all irish ferries routes.

Dont be surprised in a couple of sisters are ordered in the coming years.

Like Steven said, this ship will have the Epsilons freight capacity and on top of this carry 300 cars. 2800 lane metres ( 186 Trailers is twice the freight capacity of Oscar Wilde )

Could be a lease extention or purchase.

The two conventional ramps in Dun Laoire are about a third the size of the ramps at Dublin Port,

There is no way swift could use any of these ramps or the current pontoon as described above,

The Lynx installed ramps were more like trays than ramps and were a lot smaller than the express ramp Steven is thinking about.

Regarding the terminal bridge its about 5 metre high, There was never any problem for HGV going under it when St Columba was in operation.

This was a good opportunity for Westpac Bank to move on an aging asset at a good price and a good business opportunity for Irish Ferries. I doubt if the vessel will come to the irish sea unless it is leased to the Irish Navy as a support vessel for UN missions at the end of its Sealift agreement.

I wonder if Poerto Rico will also find its way into Irish Ferries ownership.

Regarding a replacement for the Swift i guess it will happen, however i believe it will be two years away. My guess it will either Gotland or Visby or a new sister of Leonora Christina Austal Autoexpress 113m Catamaran.

Length overall  112.6 metres
Length (waterline) 101.3 metres
Beam (moulded) 26.20 metres
Hull depth (moulded) 8.50 metres
Hull draft (maximum) 4.85 metres

PAYLOAD AND CAPACITIES
Passengers 1'400 Passengers
Crew 30 to 35
Vehicles 357 Cars or  1'000 Tonnes'
Maximum axle loads:
Double Tyre (one axle) 12 tonnes
Single Tyre (one axle) 9 tonnes
Vehicle Deck Height 4.50 Metres.
Maximum Deadweight 1'000 Tonnes
Fuel Capacity 160'000 Litres

Speed 37.60 Knots.