#PORTS & SHIPPING REVIEW - Over the last fortnight of 2012, Jehan Ashmore has reported from the shipping scene where a £1m restoration grant is to be spent on the WWI battlecruiser HMS Caroline.
The festive season saw the return of Stena Line HSS fast-craft Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead sailings which coincided with the Swedish owned ferry giant celebrating 50 years in service.
Across Dublin Bay rivals Irish Ferries added capacity to cope with expected demand by transferring Isle of Inishmore from St. Georges Channel service and onto the Dublin-Holyhead route.
Also running seasonal services to from Dublin Port was the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company whose ro-pax Ben-My-Chree provided two weekend round trips either side of the Christmas festivities.
One of the famous 'ferry cross the Mersey' river ferries linking Liverpool to the Wirral Peninsula is to be withdrawn in January 2013 by operator Mersey Ferries due to reduced traffic and heavy losses.
On a more positive note, albeit on other side of the Irish Sea, there are proposals to start a new cross-border car-ferry service across Carlingford Lough between Greenore, Co. Louth and Greencastle Co. Down.