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Displaying items by tag: Former HAL sisters

Cruiseships Rotterdam along with Amsterdam both acquired from Holland America Lines to the ownership of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines have together met up in Scotland following a delivery voyage from Cyprus, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The pair custom built for HAL will serve new careers with the UK operator which introduced the secondhand meidum sized cruiseships to become part of the newly revamped Fred. Olsen fleet. Each of the 61,000 gross tonnage ships of the same series have a capacity for 1,360 (standard occupancy) and crew od 615. Asides restuarants and bars, they have swimming pools, spa, gym, sports courts and a 'culinary' theatre. 

The Amsterdam on Friday having sailed under the Forth and Queensferry bridges headed to Babcock's Rosyth facility, where already in the basin was berthed Rotterdam (previously reported for Covid-19 related incident).

The Amsterdam is to be renamed Bolette (as flagship) whereas Rotterdam is now Borealis whose Captain Jozo Glavic this week proudly raised the Fred Olsen houseflag on board, as part of the new ship’s official handover ceremony at the Scottish south-east port.

The cruiseships directly replace the ageing sisters Black Watch dating to 1972 and the one year younger Boudicca which over the years were callers to Dublin, Cork and Belfast.

Cruises for 2021/2022 are available now on both Bolette and Borealis for those scheduled to start from March 2021, but all of this remains subject to the uncertainty of Covid-19 and related travel restrictions. 

Afloat has noted that Bolette starts a 7-nights 'Scenic Scotland' cruise on 5 March with an embarkation in Southampton. Also from the English Channel port is where Bolette is also to depart on 12 March on a 6-nights 'Cities of the UK & Ireland' cruise.

Published in Cruise Liners

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!