Scenic Carlingford Ferry
Scenic Carlingford Ferry service launch delayed
The launch of the new Scenic Carlingford Ferry service across Carlingford Lough appears to have been delayed from June 2nd 2017 until sometime next week. The company posted the following message to their Facebook page yesterday (May 31st): There are some operational elements to be fulfilled and due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not be hosting passengers on board this week. A huge thank you to everyone who has bought tickets online with the early bird discount – it’s great our excitement is contagious.We will keep you posted on redemption and can’t wait to welcome you aboard. Once operational the service will connect Greenore (County Louth) with Greencastle (County Down), and will become the first car ferry to ever operate across Carlingford Lough. The recently repainted and renamed double-ended ferry AISLING GABRIELLE (ex Foyle Venture, Shannon Willow) will complete each crossing in around 15 minutes with up to 44 cars ... Read more
In Waters New, Easter 2017 Roundup.
A quick news roundup featuring some vessels which previously plied their trade in NI waters. LE RIF: Could the former STENA GALLOWAY/GALLOWAY PRINCESS soon be back in service? The last purpose-built vessel for the Larne to Stranraer service could soon be back plying her trade in the Mediterranean. Last month LE RIF (ex Stena Galloway, Galloway Princess) was moved from La Spezia to Napoli. The vessel had previously been purchased at auction by the mysterious new Moroccan company DWLM who had intended to refit her at Malaga, however the vessel was moved to La Spezia amid reports of a dispute with the Malaga yard owners over costs. Reports from Italy suggest that the vessel may now be under the control of the group of companies that own Mediterranean operator Moby Lines. Moby themselves have been acquiring a number of elderly vessels in the past couple of years, including the now MOBY KISS (ex ... Read more
Latest local ferry news (wk2 April ’17)
A quick roundup of local ferry news from the past couple of weeks. Carlingford Lough Ferry to start later this year. Scenic Carlingford ferry have announced that they expect the service between Greenore (Co. Louth) and Greencastle (Co. Down), which has caused controversy in some quarters, to begin this coming June. It is expected that the vessel to be used on the service will be the former (Magilligan to Greencastle (Co. Donegal)) Lough Foyle Ferry FOYLE VENTURE (ex Shannon Willow) which is owned by parent company, Frazer Ferries. FOYLE VENTURE is currently laid up at Wicklow EDIT 14/4/17 operating on the Passage East ferry service across the River Suir in place of FDB TINTERN, having undertaken berthing trials at both Passage East ferry (also owned by Frazer Ferries) terminals on the way to Wicklow. The Carlingford Lough Ferry service had been given the go-ahead as far back as March 2014, but has been ... Read more
Lough Foyle Ferry Company cease operations.
Lough Foyle Ferry service between Magilligan and Greencastle will not run again unless a new operator and vessel is found. Lough Foyle Ferry Company have confirmed that they have sold their vessel Foyle Venture to Frazer Ferries, and have informed Donegal County Council and Causeway Coast and Glen Council that they will not be seeking to renew the contract to operate the service when the current agreement expires at the end of next March. Manager Jim McClenaghan told the Derry Journal they had no option but to cease service and sell the ferry as it has been “running on a shoestring” for a number of years and their “pleas for funding fell on deaf ears.” Limerick based Frazer Ferries hope to inaugurate a new crossing between Greenore (RoI) and Greencastle (Co. Down) next year, with construction of the terminal at Greenore understood to have begun earlier in the year. The service will be ... Read more