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Displaying items by tag: HolyheadDublin

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told how (ferry) truckers bypassing north Wales is a sign of Brexit success.

Speaking (yesterday) at a Liaison Committee with senior MP’s, Mr Johnson was asked about the Brexit related delays at the border.

The PM said that trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain is flowing so smoothly that many exporters are opting to use the new route and bypassing North Wales in the process.

The landbridge traffic - where Ireland to EU traffic crosses the UK - makes up around 30% of Holyhead's trade.

Mr Johnson was questioned by Labour MP, Darren Jones about the Brexit related delays at the border resulting in food shortages and increased prices.

In response, the PM said: “The situation in Northern Ireland is that trade is flowing smoothly as I understand it and exporters are benefiting from the unfettered access between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

For much more NorthWalesLive reports here. 

Published in Ferry

In the UK the government has defended not including the Holyhead to Dublin Port on Irish Sea ferry routes supported with public funding, as NorthWalesLive also reported.

The UK Government has made £17m available to Stena Line, P&O and Seatruck to maintain “critical routes” between ports in England and Scotland and Northern Ireland during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Northern Ireland Executive will cover 40% of the costs.

But the route between Anglesey and Ireland has not been supported - a decision criticised by Welsh Government and Ynys Mon AM Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Now though the UK Government has responded.

A spokesman said: “The Dublin-Holyhead route is running effectively, but the UK and Irish Governments - alongside the Welsh Government - continue to monitor the situation.

More on this ferry development click here

 

Published in Ferry

#FerryNews - Ferry operator, Stena Line is set to bring a new giant vessel on the Holyhead-Dublin route reports Daily Post Wales.

Stena Line has confirmed that the first of its new RoPax ferries currently under construction in China is planned to enter service on the Irish Sea route early 2020.

The Stena E-Flexer vessel - which will be among the most energy efficient in the world - will replace the Superfast X on the route.

The new ship will have capacity for 1,000 passengers, 120 cars as well as 3 100 freight lane meters delivering 4 daily sailings with an estimated crossing time of approximately 3.5 hrs.

It is a major vote of confidence in Holyhead at a time where there are concerns about the potential impact of Brexit on the port.

Ian Davies, Stena Line Trade Director Irish Sea South, said: “Freight volumes have surpassed the Celtic Tiger peaks of 2007 and we are confident that this upward trend will continue.

For more on this development including ship stats details, click here.

Published in Ferry

Naval Visits focuses on forthcoming courtesy visits by foreign navies from our nearest neighbours, to navies from European Union and perhaps even those navies from far-flung distant shores.

In covering these Naval Visits, the range of nationality arising from these vessels can also be broad in terms of the variety of ships docking in our ports.

The list of naval ship types is long and they perform many tasks. These naval ships can include coastal patrol vessels, mine-sweepers, mine-hunters, frigates, destroyers, amphibious dock-landing vessels, helicopter-carriers, submarine support ships and the rarer sighting of submarines.

When Naval Visits are made, it is those that are open to the public to come on board, provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate up close and personal, what these look like and what they can do and a chance to discuss with the crew.

It can make even more interesting for visitors when a flotilla arrives, particularly comprising an international fleet, adding to the sense of curiosity and adding a greater mix to the type of vessels boarded.

All of this makes Naval Visits a fascinating and intriguing insight into the role of navies from abroad, as they spend time in our ports, mostly for a weekend-long call, having completed exercises at sea.

These naval exercises can involve joint co-operation between other naval fleets off Ireland, in the approaches of the Atlantic, and way offshore of the coasts of western European countries.

In certain circumstances, Naval Visits involve vessels which are making repositioning voyages over long distances between continents, having completed a tour of duty in zones of conflict.

Joint naval fleet exercises bring an increased integration of navies within Europe and beyond. These exercises improve greater co-operation at EU level but also internationally, not just on a political front, but these exercises enable shared training skills in carrying out naval skills and also knowledge.

Naval Visits are also reciprocal, in that the Irish Naval Service, has over the decades, visited major gatherings overseas, while also carrying out specific operations on many fronts.

Ireland can, therefore, be represented through these ships that also act as floating ambassadorial platforms, supporting our national interests.

These interests are not exclusively political in terms of foreign policy, through humanitarian commitments, but are also to assist existing trade and tourism links and also develop further.

Equally important is our relationship with the Irish diaspora, and to share this sense of identity with the rest of the World.