A new cruise ferry for Dublin-Holyhead route is to be built for Irish Ferries at a cost of €165.2 million.
Parent company Irish Continental Group has entered into an agreement, with German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesselschaft to build the vessel.
It will be the largest ferry in the world in terms of vehicle capacity when it enters service in summer 2020.
The 67,300 ton new ferry will give Irish Ferries with a “significant increase” in both its freight and tourism carrying capacity on the fast-growing Dublin-Holyhead route.
The ship will carry 1,800 passengers and crew, with capacity for 5,610 freight lane metres, which provides the capability to carry 330 trucks or 300 cars per sailing.
Overall, it will effectively be a 50% increase in peak freight capacity compared to the MV Ulysses which currently operates on the Irish Sea route.
Emissions scrubber technology and ballast water systems will meet current and known future environmental regulations and will deliver optimal fuel consumption while minimising related costs, according to Irish Continental Group in plans announced this morning.
The ferry will be powered by four main engines, designed to “ensure a high degree of service reliability equal to the MV Ulysses which is currently the most reliable ship to ever operate on the Irish Sea”.
The ferry is being built specifically for Irish Ferries’ Dublin-Holyhead route and is expected to replace the schedule of the MV Ulysses, which in turn will replace the currently chartered vessel MV Epsilon in the fleet.
This will allow for the deployment of other new-build, the W.B. Yeats full-time on the direct Ireland-France route alongside the MV Oscar Wilde from this summer.
The new ferry will also adhere to Ice Class specification which allows for a wide geographic area of operation.
The vessel has been designed for three-tier freight bow loading to allow for efficient loading and unloading and quick turnaround times.
Passenger facilities over three decks will include a dedicated Club Class lounge with private access direct from the vehicle decks.
State-of -the-art entertainment options and cinemas will also be included.
Irish Continental Group chief executive Eamonn Rothwell said: “This investment underpins the confidence the group has in the markets in which we operate.
“Alongside the recent investment in the MV W.B. Yeats, it brings our total investment to €315m for these two vessels designed for our operations on the Irish Sea.
“The construction of a cruise ferry of this size will offer both additional capacity and an enhanced experience for both our tourism and freight customers.
“This infrastructural investment enhances ‘the bridge’ to the UK and continental Europe that is a vital part of the continued success of Ireland’s open economy.”