#HotelFerryReturns – Mary Fitzgerald, the private ferry of the Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort on Little Island has returned to the scenic Kings Channel route yesterday following dry-docking, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported earlier this week, the 14 car-capacity ferry, Mary Fitzgerald had undergone works at New Ross Boat Yard having entered the dry-dock on the banks of the Barrow last Monday.

Among the work carried out on Mary Fitzgerald (1972/221grt) were to her Azimuthing Schottel engines which power the ferry. The three-laned vehicle ferry is guided by cable-wires that run along the amidships while she frequently plies the waterway between Ballinakill on the mainland and the 310-acre island.

The passage time of the ferry from the drydock downriver of Rosbercon that faces New Ross to Little Island took some three hours to complete. This involved the former Lough Swilly ferry transiting the swing-bridge section of the Barrow Bridge that connects counties Waterford and Wexford.This bridge used to carry the trains of the Waterford-Rosslare Harbour railway line.

As reported on Afloat.ie Irish Rail Freight's intermodel (container-ship) services reopened almost two years ago in March 2013 to connect nearby Belview, the main terminal for the Port of Waterford and Ballina Co. Mayo.

As for Mary Fitzgerald's predecessor, Loreley, (as previously reported) was withdrawn last August. The vessel is currently laid-up on the Suir along Waterford City quays.

#FerryNews- A ferry on the Dublin-Holyhead route re-entered service last night following an incident at the Welsh port during the weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore.

According to the Daily Post (which has more here) the Stena Line ferry was hit by a small barge within Holyhead Harbour on Sunday that had led to the cancellation of sailings.

A spokesperson for the operator said: "There were no injuries to crew or passengers but there was damage caused to the Stena Nordica".

A Marine Accident and Investigation Branch (MAIB) spokeswoman said: "The MAIB can confirm that the bunker barge 'Keewhit' struck the Stena Nordica ferry which was berthed in Holyhead harbour on Sunday.

"The MAIB is currently gathering information and will decide whether to investigate this incident in due course."

The ferry was taken out of service so repairs could be completed by (yesterday).

Afloat.ie can confirm the ferry remained in the outer harbour before resuming service last night with a sailing that arrived into Dublin Port.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Keewhit is a coastal short-sea tanker which regularly calls to the Anglesey port to fuel the operator's two-ferries serving on the Dublin route. In addition to calling to Rosslare Harbour to fuel further ferries.

Following the incident, Keewhit berthed in Holyhead at the inner harbour.

Also occupying this inner harbour is the HSS Stena Explorer. The fast-ferry has remained moored since her withdrawal from service in September on the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead route.

The future of the 56 nautical mile route was finally confirmed this week as Stena Line announced that they would not be operating the Dun Laoghaire service anymore.

The end of the Holyhead route to Dun Laoghaire would instead be consolidated by the operators existing route using Dublin Port.