#PeakCapacity – At its peak a total of six ferries will operate the Holyhead-Dublin route to cope with increased demand from passengers and freight travelling over the busy Christmas and early New Year periods, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The combined capacity of Irish Ferries and Stena Line on the premier Irish Sea route provides passengers and freight customers with a choice of travel options. Altogether the mixed tonnage operating includes four conventional ferries, a fast-craft ferry and a ropax ferry.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Irish Ferries are boosting capacity with introduction of cruiseferry Oscar Wilde which will operate alongside the route’s routine fast-craft ferry Jonathan Swift and their flagship cruiseferry Ulysses.

Stena Line for this Christmas period have more capacity available compared to last year, since the larger Stena Supefast X entered service earlier this year to replace the smaller ropax Stena Nordica. The introduction of 'Superfast X' positions Stena with more evenly matched tonnage as in March, the newcomer joined Stena Adventurer on the core Wales-Ireland link. 

Following Irish Ferries completion of a final Rosslare-Cherbourg round trip sailing today, Oscar Wilde is to transfer to Dublin-Holyhead route this weekend and take over the roster of smaller ropax Epsilon. In turn Epsilon will remain in service albeit in a freight-only mode operating on certain days next week prior to Christmas Day.

In addition to Holyhead duties, Epsilon is to run this weekend’s Dublin-Cherbourg run and on following weekends after the festive break. Also operating on the continental link is Stena Line, serving out of Rosslare to Cherbourg.