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Displaying items by tag: Cancelled Sailings

#CancelledSailings – Met Eireann's marine weather foreceast currently has an 'orange' status warning of a gale in effect which has caused some cancellation of ferry sailings on the Irish Sea. In addition, the weather service has issued a 'yellow' warning for small craft. 

The weather has caused cancellation of today's Irish Ferries high-speed craft Jonathan Swift operated sailings on the Dublin-Holyhead route. Passengers, however will be transferred to Ulysses conventional ferry sailings which continue to operate as normal. For latest information, click HERE.

Due to adverse weather conditions the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.'s route between Douglas and Heysham have also led to cancelled sailings operated by the ro-pax ferry Ben-My-Chree. Todays 14.15 sailing from Douglas has been cancelled.

In addition further possible disruption may arise on the UK-Isle of Man link, on sailings later today and for tomorrow (Tuesday, 24 February), to consult latest information updates, click HERE.

Travellers are advised to check other ferry operators (listed below) for the latest sailing information updates.

Stena Line

P&O Ferries

For details of Met Eireann's coastal reports and conditions for sea crossing's forecast visit this LINK.

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – Met Eireann has issued a status 'orange' warning of gale to storm force winds tonight on all Irish coastal waters, which have led to widespread cancellation of ferry sailings across the Irish Sea.

Passengers are advised to consult for up to date information as sailings are cancelled tonight and for tomorrow (January 15). For up to date sailing information, click the ferry operator websites listed below.

Those travelling with Irish Ferries, should also take note that in addition to cancelled conventional sailings, the operators Dublin-Holyhead 'Swift' fast-ferry crossings are currently not in service as Jonathan Swift is on scheduled annual maintenance.

She headed for dry-docking in Birkenhead, where Ulysses as previously on Afloat.ie is also undergoing annual overhaul.

Isle of Man-England services are also effected to the adverse weather, with Isle of Man Steam Packet sailings on the Douglas-Heysham route cancelled today.

Further disruption and cancelled sailings (subject to which crossing) also apply to sailings tomorrow (January 15).

To recap, passengers are advised to check latest sailing information from the following website links:
Irish Ferries, Stena Line, P&O Ferries and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.

For additional information details are available by visiting the AA's ferrywatch service HERE

For weather forecasts visit Met Eireann's coastal reports and sea crossing's forecast visit this LINK.

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – Met Eireann continues to issue a status ‘yellow’ gale warning in effect for its marine weather forecast. Due to the adverse weather this has led to cancellation of fast-ferry sailings on the Irish Sea and on certain sailings served by conventional ferry.

In addition Isle of Man-England services today are cancelled and potentially face further disruption or cancellation tomorrow (Saturday 10 Decenber).

For details of Met Eireann’s coastal reports and sea crossing’s forecast visit this LINK.

Ferry travellers are advised to check for latest sailing information updates from the following ferry operator websites listed below.

Irish Ferries

Stena Line

P&O Ferries

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company 

For additional information, visit the AA's ferry travel check service HERE

 

 

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – As a gale warning is in effect this has led to some cancelled fast-ferry and conventional sailings on the Irish Sea in addition to some sailings to and from France.

Due to the adverse weather conditions Isle of Man sailings on the Douglas-Heysham single ro-pax served route, have been cancelled today with potential further disruption or cancellation to crossings tomorrow.

Travellers are advised to check for latest sailing information updates from Irish Sea operators by clicking these following website links below:

Irish Ferries

Stena Line

P&O Ferries 

Isle of Man Steam Packet Co.

Details are also available by visiting the AA's ferrywatch service HERE

Click this link for Met Eireann weather including coastal reports and sea crossing's forecast.

 

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – Certain fast-ferry operated sailings on the Irish Sea today and for tomorrow (Tuesday 26 September) are cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

Irish Ferries have cancelled tomorrow's fast-ferry only operated sailings otherwise served by Jonathan Swift on the Dublin-Holyhead route.

Instead all passengers are to be accommodated on the alternative cruise-ferry Ulysses which will be operating to service as normal. For further information on sailing times consult the Irish Ferries website HERE.

As the Autumn season is underway, any further disruption to sailings can also be consulted on the 'AA website' which provides daily updates and contact details of the various travel operators by 'scrolling down' their website page HERE.

 

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – Irish Ferries ro-pax Epsilon sailings on the Dublin route to Wales are cancelled and to France this weekend, the operators are citing technical reasons, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Last night's round trip Dublin-Holyhead sailings were cancelled and throughout today on the Welsh service. Irish Ferries regrets also to advise sailings on this weekend's round trip Dublin-Cherbourg route are cancelled too.

All effected passengers on the Dublin-Holyhead service will be accommodated instead on their High Speed Craft, HSC Jonathan Swift and sailings served by flagship cruiseferry, Ulysses.

For the latest information on sailing schedules, including Irish, UK and French contact telephone lines, visit this Irish Ferries website link.

Epsilon remains berthed in Dublin Port, having shifted berths from the ferryport to an opposite quay and so to free up the linkspan used by other ferries.

 

Published in Ferry

#FerryDryDock – According to LD Lines website, the ro-pax Norman Atlantic is to have its annual drydocking and the following sailings listed below on the Rosslare-St.Nazaire route are cancelled.

Rosslare - St Nazaire: 14 & 21 March

St Nazaire - Rosslare: 12 & 19 March

Click for LD lines contact details.

To consult the latest sailing schedule on the Rosslare-St. Nazaire route click HERE.

For those travelling on the route beyond France of the 'landbridge' Spain service of St. Nazaire- Gijón, they should be advised that 'certain' sailings are also cancelled.

Also operating the St. Nazaire-Gijón route is sister ro-pax, Norman Astuarias which will continue to serve to her sailing schedule.

To consult the latest sailing schedule on the St. Nazaire- Gijón route click this link.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Norman Atlantic as the former Scintu in January had launched LD Lines new Ireland-France-Spain routes, the services becoming the first ever to link all three countries. That first sailing by Scintu to Rosslare was a once-off as was renamed Norman Atlantic to reflect her trading route network.

Norman Atlantic is pictured here along the inner pier of Rosslare Europort. She is clearly recognisable as one of the Visentini built designed ro-pax vessels.

The Italian shipyard built ferries are designed primarily with ro-ro freight in mind and a relatively small passenger capacity compared to conventional car-ferries. The ro-pax have become increasingly popular in recent years, notably earlier this year by other operators trading from the Wexford port.

 

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – As yet another gale warning is in effect some ferry sailings have been cancelled today on the Irish Sea and on French services.

Travellers are advised to check for updates on the latest sailing information from Irish Sea operators by clicking these following website links for Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries and Stena Line.

Passengers on Stena Line's Belfast-Cairnryan route take note that due to essential ferry maintenance, the following sailings (to Scotland) at 11.30 and 19.30 for this weekend (15-16 Feb.) have been cancelled.

On the Ireland-France service, Celtic Link Ferries sailing tonight from Cherbourg (21.00) to Rosslare has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

In addition further details are also available by visiting the AA's ferrywatch service.

 

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings - As yet another storm batters the coast, some ferry sailings have been cancelled today and for tomorrow on the Irish Sea.

Travellers are advised to check for updates on the latest sailing information from operators by clicking these following website links for Irish Ferries, Stena Line and P&O Ferries.

In addition further details are also available by visiting the AA's ferrywatch service.

 

Published in Ferry

#CancelledSailings – Only days into the New Year sees the return of bad weather as storm force winds and gales batter the coast, forcing fast-ferry operated sailings to be cancelled today. 

On the Dublin Port-Holyhead route, Irish Ferries fast-ferry Jonathan Swift sailings have been cancelled and on the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead Stena Line's fast-craft HSS Stena Explorer sailings have also been cancelled.

Passengers booked on both of the company's fast-ferry operated sailings will be accommodated on alternative cruiseferry sailings that also operate between Dublin Port and Holyhead.

Those intending to travel on P&O Ferries routes, are asked to contact the operator's Travel Information and Weatherline service on +44 (0)845 832 8888.

To confirm the latest sailing updates it is advisable to visit the following ferry operator websites: Irish Ferries Stena Line  in addition to updates available from the AA's ferrywatch page.

 

 

Published in Ferry
Page 3 of 4

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

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!