Dublin headquartered Irish Ferries commenced its 2021 dry-docking earlier today. Having been released by W.B. YEATS, ULYSSES left Holyhead at around 04:45 yesterday morning for Birkenhead. She arrived at Cammell-Laird just before midday and went straight into dry-dock.
W.B. YEATS has been replaced on the Dublin – Cherbourg schedule by EPSILON. MEGA EXPRESS FOUR is currently timetabled to cover the secondary sailings on the Dublin – Holyhead route (and the weekend round trip to France) until March 31. This will allow EPSILON to provide the cover described and have her own dry dock. At present there is no Ireland – France timetable from April 1 until May 25.
ULYSSES is expected to return from dry-dock on March 5. This will allow EPSILON to dry dock until March 16. MEGA EXPRESS FOUR is expected to directly replace EPSILON on the Dublin – Holyhead/Cherbourg routes during this period.
After returning from dry dock, EPSILON will release ISLE OF INISHMORE from the Rosslare – Pembroke Dock route. Inishmore is currently expected to be absent from her usual route from March 20 to April 10 inclusive. ISLE OF INISHMORE is no longer expected to be fitted with exhaust gas scrubbers during this dry-docking period as had been previously expected.
It is believed that W.B. YEATS will also dry dock this year. The FSG-built vessel has not been dry-docked since a visit to Dunkerque in 2019. Owner Corsica Ferries has confirmed that the charter of MEGA EXPRESS FOUR is only for two months.
All the above dates are taken from the Irish Ferries timetable and may be subject to change.
