Irish Ferries charter of Transfennica’s RoRo TIMCA has allowed them to cover dry-dock needs.
The vessel is currently operating on the Dublin to Holyhead and Dublin to Cherbourg sailings. TIMCA is covering the normal duties of OSCAR WILDE whilst she returns to her previous Rosslare to Pembroke Dock route. The change has been required due to a dry-dock for the chartered NORBAY.
TIMCA is generally used on Transfennica’s Finland – Belgium – UK service. However, as is the case with RoRo line operators, there are often variations to duties. Built in 2006, the vessel has a 2,800 lane metre capacity and is one of six sister-ships.
The charter of TIMCA, marks a return to Irish Ferries bringing in chartered dry-dock cover.
MEGA EXPRESS FOUR was chartered in 2021 for the Dublin to Holyhead and Cherbourg routes. She operated 22 February to 3 April 2021.
Meanwhile, Stena RoRo chartered the RoRo STENA FORETELLER to Irish Ferries January to March 2020 for Dublin to Holyhead and Cherbourg services.
Holyhead and Cherbourg duties
After berthing trial calls at Cherbourg on 23 February and Holyhead on 24 February, the vessel entered service on the Dublin – Holyhead route on 26 February.
The vessel sails Dublin to Holyhead at 0200 and 1430 Monday to Thursday, operating only the 0200 sailing on Fridays and only the 1430 sailing on Sundays. The return Holyhead to Dublin sailings are at 0815 and 2015 Monday to Thursday, with only the 0815 sailing on Friday and only the 2015 sailing on Sundays. Meanwhile, she operates the Dublin to Cherbourg route with a 1600 sailing from Ireland on Fridays and an 1830 departure from Cherbourg on Saturdays.
The current plan is for TIMCA to finish service around 18 March. This is subject to change with the return of NORBAY from dry-dock.
The Dutch-registered ship is a 12-driver RoRo meaning that no passengers are carried and only limited accompanied freight.
Irish Ferries charter Tetris
The charter of TIMCA has been a result of a series of situations at Irish Ferries.
Following the decision of her owners, Euroafrica, not to extend her charter, EPSILON exited the Irish Ferries fleet at the start of December. She was directly replaced on the Dublin to Holyhead and Cherbourg routes by P&O Ferries’ NORBAY. That vessel is currently due to remain with Irish Ferries up to May with extensions to extend her use further.
However, from the start of February NORBAY replaced OSCAR WILDE on the Rosslare to Pembroke Dock route. Following maintenance at Larne, OSCAR WILDE entered service on the Dublin to Holyhead and Cherbourg routes on 10 February.
A pre-booked bi-annual dry-dock for NORBAY meant that she went off-hire after discharge at Rosslare on the morning of 26 February. She arrived at A&P Falmouth the following morning, 27 February.
Faced with no passenger service and STENA EUROPE’s ongoing technical problems, Irish Ferries took the decision to move OSCAR WILDE back to the Pembroke route just two weeks after her full-time transfer to the Dublin routes.
NIFS understands that P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries discussed making NORBANK available to cover for her sister. However, overrunning dry-docks on the North Sea and NORBANK’s new Tilbury to Europoort route commencing on 10 March were to make this impossible.
Looking ahead
According to Irish Ferries’ statements at the publication of their 2023 Results OSCAR WILDE will be deployed on the Dublin to Holyhead and Cherbourg routes in summer 2024.
NORBAY is currently on charter to Irish Ferries until May 2024 with extension options. However, her 114 passenger capacity is too limited for peak season traffic making it likely that she will be replaced. There is currently no indication as to how this might happen. Few vessels are available though it seems possible that Irish Ferries may replace a Dover – Calais vessel then send that ship to Rosslare.
However, at the time of writing it appears that no change is imminent despite much speculation and rumour.
