Irish Ferries: W.B. YEATS (Vessel Profile)

This article is the vessel profile for Irish Ferries W.B. YEATS.  For the dedicated build page with archived updates click here.

Overview of W.B Yeats

W.B. YEATS is Irish Ferries new Ireland to France ferry.  She replaces OSCAR WILDE as the French services flagship.  She was ordered in May 2016 from Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft in Germany, and is the first new-build ferry to enter service for the company since ULYSSES in 2001.  She is also the first new ship ordered by the company for their Ireland to France services since SAINT PATRICK (which was ordered by predecessor Irish Continental Line in 1972).  Coincidentally SAINT PATRICK (which later became Belfast Car Ferries ST COLUM I) was also built in Germany.  When the order was originally announced Irish Ferries stated that the new ferry would be built for both the Dublin to France and Dublin to Holyhead services.  This changed however when Irish Ferries announced an order for a second new-build from the same yard in January 2018, in the process exercising an option which was negotiated in the contract for the first vessel.  This would be a larger part-sister specifically built for the Dublin to Holyhead service, with the first vessel (now to be named W.B. YEATS following a naming competition) to be dedicated to French services once the second vessel arrived.  This will potentially allow the chartered Visentini Ro-Pax EPSILON to be returned to her Italian owners.

When the order was announced the delivery date was stated as May 2018, however this date slipped a number of times.  This meant that W.B. YEATS missed the entirety of her inaugural summer season, leading to much negative publicity due to passengers sailings being cancelled or transferred to other “inferior” Irish Ferries vessels or other operators services.  On November 29th 2018 Irish Continental Group announced that they had been given a revised delivery date of “Early” December for W.B. YEATS, with the vessel “undergoing final delivery adjustments” at the yard.  Following crew familiarisation, berthing trials, and all other required processes prior to entering service it is expected that W.B. YEATS will enter service on the Dublin to Holyhead route as second-ship to ULYSSES before moving full-time to the Dublin to Cherbourg route in spring 2019.

Technical Data

Construction

W. B. YEATS was constructed using modern modular construction methods. While her hull was assembled at FSG from pre-fabricated sections built on-site, her superstructure was the product of three different yards in Poland.  FSG contracted the manufacture of the superstructure sections to long-term partner Marine Project of Gdańsk, who themselves subcontracted the centre section to Holm Construction (also based in Gdańsk).  The flat steel sections required to build all of the superstructure sections were supplied by Stocznia Gdańsk S.A (part of the famous former Lenin Shipyard which gave birth to the Solidarity movement in the 1980’s).  

Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime were awarded the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) contract for the build.  This covered engineering and maritime equipment deliveries for W.B. YEATS.   Subsidiary Kongsberg Maritime Engineering (KME) were awarded the contract for all engineering, procurement and project management for the build, while parent company Kongsberg Maritime was awarded the contract for ‘Full Picture’ system delivery.  The scope of this included the supply and integration of all electrical, telecom and integrated control systems, interface management and engineering services, as well as all associated cables, installation and installation materials.  In addition, Kongsberg also supplied all; shaft generators, switchboards, automation, propulsion control, navigation systems, and radio/satellite communications systems including a tailor made Electrical, Instrument, and Telecom (EIT) solution for the vessel.

As well as building the physical superstructure sections, Marine Project and Holm Construction supplied them mostly fitted out with bulkheads, furniture, fixtures, and fittings, cabling, pipework, and even most of the wheelhouse equipment.  The sections were also supplied mostly painted with only areas which needed to be welded together or to the hull not already painted for delivery.   Although this method of prefabrication had proven very successful on previous smaller and less complex ferry builds, it would at least in part ultimately contribute to significant delays in the delivery of the vessel with electrical systems causing particular difficulties according to the yard.  Despite the superstructure being delivered mostly completed, some 600km of cabling still had to be laid throughout the vessel.   According to FSG Managing Director Rüdiger Fuchs (external link, in German), W.B. YEATS was also the first vessel the yard had built to comply with the Safe Return To Port (SRTP) requirements, which also contributed to delays due to the technical challenges associated in meeting these standards.

The much delayed sea trials took place from the evening of October 29th until the morning of November 7th 2018, with open-sea trials off the coast of Bornholm where she achieved speeds in excess of 23 knots.

Passenger Facilities

The passenger facilities of W.B YEATS are spread out over 4 decks, with three of those decks containing cabins and also stretching for most of the length of the vessel.  The uppermost passenger deck (Deck 11) only occupies the forward part of the superstructure and boasts views over the bow and almost full-height windows.  This is the only passenger deck on the vessel which does not contain any passenger cabins.  The ‘Innisfree’ Club Class Lounge is located a deck below on Deck 10 and has its own outside deck area overlooking the bow, above the bridge, which is situated on Deck 9 which is mainly a cabin deck.  Deck 8, the lowest passenger deck, is also mainly a cabin deck and houses the suites and disabled cabins as well as a variety of standard cabin accommodation.  In total there are 17 different cabin options as well as the option of reserving a sleep in the reclining seat lounges on Deck 10.

The full list of passenger facilities known to date is as follows;

• ‘Innisfree’ Club Class Lounge
• ‘Lady Gregory’ A la Carte restaurant
• Cafe Lafayette
• ‘Boylans’ Brasserie
• ‘Maude Gonne’ Bar
• ‘The Abbey & The Peacock’ Cinema and Lounge
• ‘The Hazel Wood’ Quiet Lounge
• ‘Salley Gardens’ Kids Room
• ‘Crazy Jane’s’ Games Room
• Shopping
• ‘Drumcliff’ Promenade Deck
• Freight Drivers Lounge
• Pet hotel

Last Updated 03.12.18