Update @ 22:30: ULYSSES finally left dry dock at approximately 20:30. She is now on her way to Dublin and is timetabled to take up service again tomorrow morning. Click here for more.
Update @ 19:45: ULYSSES is still in dry dock.
Irish Ferries ULYSSES is set to leave Belfast Dry Dock this evening, with a confirmed departure time of 17:00. This may still be subject to delays should there be any last minute setbacks but this is the closest yet the troubled vessel has come to leaving the dry dock since she arrived there almost a month ago. Due to the nature of the problems she has been having, any setbacks could further delay the return of ULYSSES by days.
At present ULYSSES is on the Irish Ferries schedule for the 08:05 sailing ex Dublin tomorrow, a full day earlier than previously advised. With this in mind it appears her “trials” are to take place on the way back to her home port, however running mate EPSILON has been removed from the schedule. This perhaps suggests that EPSILON is being kept of the timetable to continue to substitute for ULYSSES should their be further problems.
Passengers, hauliers, and ferry company staff alike will be relieved to have the 50,938gt Irish Ferries flagship back in service. ULYSSES’ absence has caused much disruption to the central corridor service, as she is the highest capacity vessel operating from Ireland to the UK. Irish Ferries ‘second ship’ on the route EPSILON has moved to ULYSSES schedule during her absence, but this has not only inconvenienced those due to travel on this smaller vessel on the Holyhead route, but has also led to all Dublin to France sailings being cancelled during the absence of ULYSSES as they are presently operated by EPSILON. The return of ULYSSES will see EPSILON move back to her normal schedule however in time for this weeks sailing to France.
Passengers affected by sailing disruptions may be interested in our FREE guide to claiming compensation.
