The role of Pembrokeshire’s two ferry ports in handling extra traffic during the closure of the Port of Holyhead continues with two interesting developments.
Today, Wednesday January 8, Irish Ferries began a new service from Pembroke Dock to Dublin using the Isle of Innisfree.
The 7.5 hour crossing departs daily from Wales at 6am and from Ireland at 20.30.
The Isle of Innisfree has returned to Pembroke Dock to temporarily sail on the Dublin route. (Image: Cloudcam UAV)
The temporary route is expected to run until January 16 – the date being given for the re-opening of the Port of Holyhead, which suffered damage in last month’s Storm Darragh.
The new service has been described as ‘unprecedented’ by expert ferry-watcher George Holland, one of the admins of the Facebook group Irish Ferries Enthusiasts.
It will run alongside Pembroke Dock’s existing twice-daily sailings to Rosslare which are being carried out at 02:45 and 14:45 by the James Joyce – brought on to the route following the Holyhead closure because of her larger capacity than the Innisfree, which previously plied the route.
At Fishguard Harbour, history has been made in recent weeks with the arrival of the port’s largest-ever ferry, the Stena Adventurer to work on the Dublin route, and its first-ever arrival of an Irish Ferries vessel from the port when the Isle of Innisfree conducted berthing trials,
Mr Holland said: “Just when we thought things couldn’t get even more exciting at Fishguard Harbour, the Pembrokeshire ferry port received its third new visitor in four weeks yesterday afternoon, Tuesday January 7.
The Isle of Inisheer pictured at her Fishguard berthing trials, (Image: George Holland)
“With the ongoing closure of Holyhead, Irish Ferries sent the Isle of Inisheer to Fishguard for berthing trials. It is assumed this was a contingency measure in case the planned re-opening of Holyhead on the 16th is delayed.”
The Isle of Inisheer previously came to Pembrokeshire last September when she covered on the Pembroke Dock-Rosslare route while the Isle of Innisfree was in dry dock for a scheduled overhaul.
The Isle of Inisheer was Fishguard port’s fourth ferry visitor in three weeks. (Image: George Holland)
Irish Ferries has previously stated that January 16 “remains an achievable date to open the Terminal 5 ferry berth in Holyhead Port and resume ferry sailings on the Dublin – Holyhead route. This schedule is subject to reasonable weather conditions and we will update as progress continues.”
Stena Line’s Fishguard to Ireland services currently see the Stena Nordica making her twice-daily sailings to Rosslare at 01:30 and 14:00, with the Stena Adventurer on the Dublin route at 9:00.