Ferries Forced to Gather in Dublin Bay While Holyhead Remains Closed Until Sailings Resume Tomorrow (11 December)

10th December 2024

Jehan Ashmore

Ferry Chaos: Ferries of Stena Line and Irish Ferries at anchor in Dublin Bay remain off service as seen this morning, following an incident on Saturday during Storm Darragh, damaging the jetty at the Port of Holyhead. Left to right: Stena Estrid, Seatruck Precision bound for Liverpool, James Joyce from Cherbourg, France, containership Sara Borchard also at anchor and Ulysses. Services are finally to resume tomorrow (11 December) for the latest, check ferry websites. Credit: Jehan Ashmore

As the James Joyce from France arrived late to Dublin today, the ferry, which is also one of five serving the port of Holyhead, continues to be closed since Saturday's Storm Darragh damage, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The aftermath of Storm Darragh, which battered the country has caused widespread delays and sailing cancellations not just on the busy Dublin-Holyhead route but throughout the Irish Sea, the North Channel, and on direct Ireland-France routes. Overall, this has led to much inconvenience and added costs to passenger customers and freight operators alike.

Services on the Dublin-Holyhead link have seen all sailings cancelled on this core Ireland-Wales route with resultant congestion, forcing hauliers to divert to other routes. Also, this applies to motorists, and those taking combined ferry & coach/sail-rail tickets will be further caught out as integrated transport links are chiefly through Holyhead, whereas such travel options via South Wales ports are more restrictive.

As mentioned, Irish Ferries chartered James Joyce, which arrived to Dublin this morning, was behind schedule on its Cherbourg duties, due to the knock-on effects of Storm Darragh. Its sailings on the Dublin-Holyhead route yesterday were cancelled following the incident during the storm that damaged ferry-related infrastructure at the North Wales port, which is operated by Stena Line.

According to the Irish Ferries website, it was awaiting confirmation this morning (1100) as to the reopening of the Port of Holyhead, as the James Joyce scheduled sailing of 1430 was to change to a slightly earlier time of 1345. Afloat has noted this scenario has not arisen, as the sailing update has since advised that this sailing and all other sailings has now been 'cancelled' due to the infrastructure weather damage in Holyhead. However, it will sail in the early hours from Dublin at 0200 (tomorrow, 11 Dec) along with other ferries finally returning to service throughout the course of the day.

Irish Ferries added that passengers that were to travel on tonight's (10 Dec) cancelled Dublin sailing, instead can be accommodated on the 20.00 sailing from Rosslare to Pembroke route served by Isle of Innisfree, noting the latest check-in time is an hour before departure.

Its rival, Stena Line, at one stage was to have the honour of resuming the first sailing today, with the previously reported anchorage of Stena Estrid in Dublin Bay set to return to Dublin and then set sail this afternoon with an arrival at Holyhead this evening. This did not arise as all sailings remain 'cancelled' today. For updated Stena Line information, click here which has Stena Estrid departing Dublin tomorrow (11 Dec) at 1630 and Stena Adventurer departing later also from the capital at 22.30.

Aside from the ferries at anchorage, Dublin Port's three-ferry berths are all occupied, with the W.B. Yeats which likewise of James Joyce, operates on the Wales and France routes and is scheduled on time to depart the capital to Cherbourg this afternoon at 1600. Also in port is the aforementioned Stena Adventurer, which makes up the fifth ferry from the two operators running on the Holyhead route this winter.

Among the operators affected on Ireland-France routes was Brittany Ferries, whose Galicia from Cherbourg could not enter Rosslare safely due to the adverse weather conditions, so instead was diverted to Ringaskiddy, Cork Harbour.

Yesterday, Afloat tracked the E-Flexer class Galicia after discharging passengers and freight, making the repositioning passage to Rosslare to finally resume its return crossing last night to France. The ferry arrived at the port in Normandy early this afternoon.

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!