#A&Pfalmouth – Hoegh Osaka, the 51,770grt vehicle-carrier towed to Southampton following a deliberate grounding incident to save the vessel from sinking in the Solent last month, is undergoing repairs at A&P Falmouth, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The stricken-ship which had listed in early January, was unloaded of some 1,400 vehicles at the Hampshire port before proceeding to the Cornish ship-repairer. Offshore yesterday of the dry docks facility in the busy shipping lanes of the English Channel was a fleetmate, Hoegh Tokyo which departed Dublin Port over the weekend.
Hoegh Tokyo with a larger tonnage of 68,871 was transitting the English Channel with an eastbound passage. While making a westbound passage from the Baltic Sea to Cork albeit on the previous day, was the Marine Institute's RV Celtic Explorer (2002/2,425grt) which was a recent customer of A&P Falmouth.
As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the 65.5m vessel had a major upgrade of scientific equipment installed during an extensive refit under the supervision of P&O Maritime (Ireland) Ltd.
Following her survey work in both the Baltic and North Sea, the new equipment is to be tested with sea trials beginning today in Irish waters.
Among the vessels berthed in A&P Falmouth's facility are Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde which is to open the French route season on 25 February.
Staying on a ferry theme, Condor Ferries fast-ferry the Incat 86m built Condor Vitesse is also at the dry-dock facility. She along with sister Condor Express are to be replaced next month on the Channel Islands routes by a new 102m fast-ferry. The newcomer is the Condor Liberation due to make a debut just before Easter.
Also in Falmouth is one of Wightlink's Portsmouth-Fishbourne ferries, St. Cecilia which operates the service to the Isle of Wight. She originally began her Solent career with Sealink.
