Blue Star 1, a Greek flagged ferry which Irish Continental Group (ICG) has chartered for their Irish Ferries Rosslare Europort-Pembroke Dock route, has departed Piraeus on a repositioning voyage, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Greek owned Attica Group passenger ro-ro ferry built in 2000, departed Piraeus on Wednesday, is due to arrive at the Co. Wexford ferryport this Monday. Currently, the near 30,000 gross tonnage ferry is offshore of Algeria, north Africa.

Upon entering service on the southern corridor, Blue Star 1 will replace Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore which after a scheduled dry-docking, will launch ICG's first ever UK-France service, on the prestigious Dover-Calais short-sea route. This is due to take place in June.

This major entry by ICG onto the competitive Strait of Dover service, will enable Irish Ferries to provide hauliers an all inclusive UK land-bridge operation with two existing Irish Sea routes.

ICG's strategic move now consolidates and compliments the continental direct Dublin-Cherbourg to mainland Europe, where Irish Ferries already offers freight hauliers in particular an alternative on the 'Brexit-buster/bypass' route.

When Blue Star 1 enters service this month on the Rosslare-Pembroke route, Isle of Inishmore's departure will mark the end of the last and only 'Isle' named themed ferry serving between Ireland and the UK. 

The theme Irish Ferries introduced following the acquisition by ICG of the ailing Irish State owned B&I Line in 1992 which included the company's 'last' Leinster built by Verolme Cork Dockyard (V.C.D.) in 1981.

During Irish Ferries career, the ferry was renamed Isle of Inishmore and subsequently Isle of Inishturk, this enabled to free up that name for ICG's second custom built newbuild cruiseferry, the Isle of Inishmore.

Upon entry of the Isle of Inishmore in 1997, originally for the Dublin-Holyhead route, that led to displacing Isle of Inishfree, ICG's first newbuild cruiseferry, which transferred to the Rosslare-Pembroke route.

This led to the sale of 'Inishturk' to Canadian east coast operator, CTMA Traversier, however the ferry was withdrawn on St. Patrick's Day and is to be dismantled as a newly acquired Spanish ferry is due to enter service. 

Afloat will have more to report on this story of a rare Irish built cross-channel car ferry. 

Dublin Bay saw some ships of interest today, firstly the heavy-lift general cargoship Eendracht that arrived in Dun Laoghaire Harbour today to load a part project-cargo bound for the US, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Eendracht berthed this morning after taking a pilot from the Dublin Port cutter Liffey and according to the ships agent, the almost 3,000grt ship was scheduled to call into Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Afloat hightlights that the arrival of a commercial vessel is relatively rare to the south Dublin Bay port, as in recent years ships have increased to the granite built harbour. The calls have been for diverse reasons, among them for maintenance to layover periods. 

As for cargo call, Eendracht only loaded 110 tons. It was much easier an exercise compared to calling to a busier Dublin Port, given the recent disruption to shipping as adverse weather battered Dublin Bay with ships forced to anchor or seek shelter elsewhere.

In fact among the affected ships was Eendracht which took shelter off Moelfre, Anglesey.

The ship had sailed from Rotterdam with part project cargo but is different to the Irish call's load.

The vessel equipped with two deck mounted heavy-lift cranes is to depart this evening and bound for the Port of Houston. One of the world's largest ports and serving the metropolitan area of Houston in Texas.

On the ferry scene, Afloat observed the Corsica-France ferry, Mega Express Four make a maiden commercial crossing this afteroon from the capital to Holyhead, while on charter to ICG's division Irish Ferries. The ferry is to provide replacement cover of the ferry fleet when off service for annual overhaul dry-dockings. 

The distinctive yellow hulled ferry made for an odd sight with it owners marketing name of Corsica Ferries/Sardinia Ferries placed amidships. This sighting took place as the ferry rounded the Dublin Bay Buoy.

About an hour later was tracked Stena Europe, transferred from a temporarily closed Rosslare-Fishguard route. This afternoon's sailing is the first to Holyhead so to enable relief cover of routine overhaul of the Irish Sea route's ferry.

Also berthed in Dun Laoghaire as a base are two vessels related to carrying out geophysical survey work for the Dublin Array -a wind farm project as Afloat previously reported.

The vessels are the Fugro Mercator, at 360 grt, is a small ship which was working offshore of Dalkey Island in seas including Killiney Bay. Fastnet Pelican formed the second vessel which is of a craft built to a catamaran design.