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High Speed Ferries

  • 11-01-2020 11:15pm
    #1
    crowe79
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭


    Would this high speed ferry be suitable for the Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to France routes?

    https://www.ship-technology.com/projects/francisco-high-speed-ferry/

    At 51 knots it would slash travel times to Holyhead, Liverpool, France and even the Netherlands. Liverpool in about 2 hours I guess. A fleet of these would be a lot cheaper and more practical, than any tunnels or bridges that have been recently speculated. Also it would certainly be a brexit buster for getting Irish goods to the continent.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Irish Steve
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    Simple answer is no, for a lot of reasons, it's been tried with this size and much larger versions, and they're almost all gone again, the only one still in service is the Irish Ferries Swift, and I'd not be too sure how much longer it will be in service on the Holyhead route, it's cancelled more often than not at certain times of they year, and doesn't run at all in the winter.

    The Irish Sea is a very hostile place for ferries, the combination of wind and wave directions make for very heavy riding, even for the larger ferries, and small twin hulls have a very unpleasant roll in those conditions.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • #3
    theguzman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭theguzman


    Irish Steve wrote: »
    Simple answer is no, for a lot of reasons, it's been tried with this size and much larger versions, and they're almost all gone again, the only one still in service is the Irish Ferries Swift, and I'd not be too sure how much longer it will be in service on the Holyhead route, it's cancelled more often than not at certain times of they year, and doesn't run at all in the winter.

    The Irish Sea is a very hostile place for ferries, the combination of wind and wave directions make for very heavy riding, even for the larger ferries, and small twin hulls have a very unpleasant roll in those conditions.

    They also guzzle fuel, they would be more suited to the Shannon - Killimer ferry across the relatively calm Shannon estuary if there was demand.


  • #4
    Vic_08
    Registered Users Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭Vic_08


    crowe79 wrote: »
    Would this high speed ferry be suitable for the Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to France routes?

    https://www.ship-technology.com/projects/francisco-high-speed-ferry/

    At 51 knots it would slash travel times to Holyhead, Liverpool, France and even the Netherlands. Liverpool in about 2 hours I guess. A fleet of these would be a lot cheaper and more practical, than any tunnels or bridges that have been recently speculated. Also it would certainly be a brexit buster for getting Irish goods to the continent.

    We had 2 of the 3 largest fast ferries ever built for nearly 20 years on the Irish Sea routes, they were retired because they were too expensive to run and the speed advantage was proved to not be a commercial proposition. They were able for worse weather than the smaller fast ferries but were still prone to cancellation, particularly at this time of year.

    At one point there were 5 fast ferries between Ireland and Britain, there is now only 1 left operating only 6 months in the year and that is expected to be withdrawn when Irish Ferries get their much delayed new ship delivered.


  • #5
    Storm 10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,872 ✭✭✭Storm 10


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    We had 2 of the 3 largest fast ferries ever built for nearly 20 years on the Irish Sea routes, they were retired because they were too expensive to run and the speed advantage was proved to not be a commercial proposition. They were able for worse weather than the smaller fast ferries but were still prone to cancellation, particularly at this time of year.

    At one point there were 5 fast ferries between Ireland and Britain, there is now only 1 left operating only 6 months in the year and that is expected to be withdrawn when Irish Ferries get their much delayed new ship delivered.

    Would the modern ferries of today be better on fuel and better able to handle the seas than the older versions, there is new high speed ferry coming this year to restart the Galway City to the Aran Island service its built in Asia and due in the next few months.


  • #6
    easypazz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,346 ✭✭✭easypazz


    Storm 10 wrote: »
    Would the modern ferries of today be better on fuel and better able to handle the seas than the older versions, there is new high speed ferry coming this year to restart the Galway City to the Aran Island service its built in Asia and due in the next few months.

    I wouldn't think it is to restart the old service per se, which was primarily a supply route for the islanders, and still operates a cargo only service from Galway docks all these years.

    I presume the new ferry is targeted at wealthy bucket list tourists who need to "do" the aran islands, cliffs of moher, Guinness brewery etc. in the shortest time possible.

    A totally different scenario to people travelling regularly across the Irish sea for whom saving an hour or so is not worth the extra expense.


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  • #7
    Tow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,407 ✭✭✭Tow


    Storm 10 wrote: »
    Would the modern ferries of today be better on fuel and better able to handle the seas than the older versions,

    As boats go the 'old ones' where state of the art. Four gas turbines supposedly producing the same power as a 747, speed limited due to the wake it created and later the fuel costs.

    When is the money (including lost growth) Michael Noonan took in the Pension Levy going to be paid back?



  • #8
    ednwireland
    Registered Users Posts: 14,286 ✭✭✭✭ednwireland


    i miss the old HSS great machines always felt likeit was the future.

    canoeists surfing the wake in !

    3 crossings this year although it has to be said the stabilisation systems on the ferries now is quite impressive

    My weather

    https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F



  • #9
    Storm 10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,872 ✭✭✭Storm 10


    easypazz wrote: »
    I wouldn't think it is to restart the old service per se, which was primarily a supply route for the islanders, and still operates a cargo only service from Galway docks all these years.

    I presume the new ferry is targeted at wealthy bucket list tourists who need to "do" the aran islands, cliffs of moher, Guinness brewery etc. in the shortest time possible.

    A totally different scenario to people travelling regularly across the Irish sea for whom saving an hour or so is not worth the extra expense.

    The new ferry is operated and owned by "Island Ferries" the same company that operate fast ferries from Rossaveal so I would presume the same cost benifits would apply to the islanders from Galway City to Aran.


  • #10
    easypazz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,346 ✭✭✭easypazz


    Storm 10 wrote: »
    The new ferry is operated and owned by "Island Ferries" the same company that operate fast ferries from Rossaveal so I would presume the same cost benifits would apply to the islanders from Galway City to Aran.

    Possibly but as I understand it the pso service runs year round to Rossaveal and that is where the islanders keep their mainland cars and it is also near the airport etc.

    Is the fast ferry to Galway city a year round service?


  • #11
    Storm 10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,872 ✭✭✭Storm 10


    easypazz wrote: »
    Possibly but as I understand it the pso service runs year round to Rossaveal and that is where the islanders keep their mainland cars and it is also near the airport etc.

    Is the fast ferry to Galway city a year round service?

    That I don't know but when I hear anything I will post it here


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  • #12
    Geog1234
    Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭Geog1234


    There's a second fast ferry ex Dublin, albeit seasonal, in the form of Manannan which operates the Dublin to Douglas (Isle of Man) route.


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