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LD Lines New Ireland-France-Spain Maiden Voyage Heads for Rosslare Europort

9th January 2014
LD Lines New Ireland-France-Spain Maiden Voyage Heads for Rosslare Europort

#IrelandSpain – LD Lines new Ireland-France-Spain routes service ferry Scintu is tonight making her maiden inbound voyage to Rosslare Europort with an arrival expected just after 21.00hrs, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As reported last night on Afloat.ie, the Scintu departed St.Nazaire at midnight bound for Rosslare. The ship starts the first ever  ferry service linking Ireland-west France and northern Spain. The new route was hailed as a 'valuable new landbridge' by Minister for Transport Leo Varadker when in November he announced the new Irish-Iberian service.

To reflect her new Rosslare-St.Nazaire-Gijon route operations, the 26,904 tonnes Scintu with a capacity for almost 500 passengers and 195 vehicles is to be re-named Norman Atlantic within the month.

Norman Atlantic will operate the 22-hour sailing between Rosslare and St. Nazaire (Montoir-de-Bretagne) on the banks of the Loire. She then continues from the mid-western French port on the second leg of the Irish-Iberian service to Gijón in the Astuarias region of northern Spain.

A sailing schedule sees the 2009 Italian built ferry operate a single weekly round-trip service on the Rosslare-St.Nazaire route in which the first outward bound sailing departs Rosslare tomorrow night at 21.00hrs. In addition the ferry operates two round-trips per week on the St.Nazaire -Gijon 16 hour route.

The Bay of Biscay route will also be served by sister Norman Astuarias which as reported has opened other new routes recently between the UK and Spain. The routes are Poole-Santander and also starting this month a Poole-Gijon route.

Both these new Irish 'Motorway of the Seas' routes linking to France and Spain, will open up a whole new dimension to Irish tourists and freight customers.

The 186m long Norman Atlantic was built by Visentini Shipbuilders. She has comfortable cabins and passenger facilities of a bar, restaurant, shop and lounges.

Currently the ferry does not carry 'foot' passengers on the Rosslare-St. Nazaire and St. Nazaire- Gijón routes, though according to a LD Lines spokesperson this option have not been entirely ruled out.

LD Lines are no stranger to the Irish market, as the French owned company initially imported trade vehicles using the freight-only ro-ro vessel, NMT Elise which also ran from Rosslare. This service also developed into a passenger ferry service that began in 2008 but instead operated to Le Havre.

 

Published in Rosslare Europort, Ferry
Jehan Ashmore

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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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About Rosslare Europort

2021 sees Rosslare Europort hitting a new record with a total of 36 shipping services a week operating from the port making it one of the premier Irish ports serving the European Continent. Rosslare Europort is a gateway to Europe for the freight and tourist industries. It is strategically located on the sunny south-east coast of Ireland.

Rosslare is within a 90-minute driving radius of major Irish cities; Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Rosslare Europort is a RoRo, RoPax, offshore and bulk port with three RoRo berths with a two-tier linkspan, we also have a dedicated offshore bulk berth.

Exports in Rosslare Europort comprise mainly of fresh products, food, pharmaceuticals, steel, timber and building supplies. While imports are largely in the form of consumer goods such as clothes, furniture, food, trade vehicles, and electronics.

The entire Europort is bar-swept to 7.2 meters, allowing unrestricted access to vessels with draughts up to 6.5 metres. Rosslare Europort offers a comprehensive service including mooring, stevedoring and passenger-car check-in for RoRo shipping lines. It also provides facilities for offshore, dry bulk and general cargo.

The port currently has twice-daily round services to the UK and direct services to the continent each day. Rosslare Europort has a fleet of Tugmasters service, fork-lift trucks, tractors and other handling equipment to cater for non-standard RoRo freight.