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Displaying items by tag: Relief ferry

8th November 2023

Relief Ferry CalMac Charter for Extended Six Months Serving Firth of Clyde and Islay

Scotland's west coast ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) have confirmed that the chartered catamaran MV Alfred from Pentland Ferries, will run for a six-month extension.

The added timeframe of the charter is to provide additional resources through the winter and for the annual overhaul period of CalMac ferries.

MV Alfred’s charter will now be in place until 21 August, 2024, with deployment plans of the vehicle-carrying catamaran set to be confirmed as soon as possible, the ferry operator said.

The Pentland Ferries craft which normally operates to Orkney, earlier this year joined the CalMac fleet to support the Ardrossan-Brodick, Isle of Arran main route ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, following months of problems and cancellations on the Forth of Clyde route.

CalMac said that it is working closely with Pentland Ferries to expedite a ramp modification solution to improve the interface at Campbeltown, Mull of Kintyre and at Troon when the Alfred is deployed to Islay off south-west Scotland.

The deployment to Islay will be restricted to operating to and from Ardrossan in Ayrshire until the modifications are completed and so customers will be informed as the modifications progress.

When the Alfred is deployed on the longer crossing time Islay route, options to improve catering options for customers are also being explored.

More here from STV News on the extended chartered catamaran ferry.

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16th March 2018

Relief Ferry Returns to Dry Dock Forcing Routine Passage East Ferry to Remain In Service

#FerryNews - Attempts to operate the Passage East Ferry service in Waterford Estuary were beset with bad weather recently and mechanical issues however sailings resumed service yesterday afternoon, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The routine ferry, Frazer Tintern links Passage East on the Waterford side and Ballyhack in Wexford and takes 15 minutes for the 22-vehicle ferry to complete a round trip. On average there are 120 crossings daily.

The intended relief ferry, Frazer Aisling Gabrielle that normally serves Scenic Carlingford Ferry's route, had just completed an annual refit at New Ross Boat Yard. On arrival in Passage East on Wednesday, the 44-vehicle ferry was to have taken up operations however strong winds and tides led to cancelled sailings.

When weather conditions improved yesterday, Frazer Aisling Gabrielle was still prevented in sailing due to mechanical issues. This forced the relief ferry to return to the New Ross Boat Yard for further work on the banks of the Barrow. The dry-dock facility is where FBD Tintern arrived the day before for annual overhaul too, however the ferry was equally forced in returning to service. 

Afloat previously monitored the Frazer Tintern make the original journey to the dry-dock located south of New Ross Port. This involved making a transit through the swing-bridge section of the Barrow Bridge which carried the railway line between Waterford City and Rosslare Harbour. An exception is container freight trains serving Belview (Port of Waterford) terminal located to the east of the city.

Despite the delays to Frazer Aisling Gabrielle, sailings in the absence of this ferry on the Scenic Carlingford Ferry link are been maintained by the Frazer Mariner.

Fortunately, Frazer Mariner is a refief ferry which is available to remain on the Carlingford service, though the ferry is due this month to return on the seasonal Scenic Lough Foyle ferry service. The launch of the seasonal service is however approaching the busy Easter Bank Holiday weekend. 

All three ferry operations are part of the Limerick based Frazer Ferries Group which launched the first ever Carlingford ferry service last year aswell as the re-opening of the Foyle operation. In 2016 the group acquired the Waterford estuary service.

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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

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