Construction is currently underway on the 'biggest ferry to sail the Irish Sea' from Irish Ferries.

The new €144 million cruise ferry will accommodate 1,885 passengers and crew, have 435 cabins and the capacity for 2,800 lane metres of freight. That equates to around 165 freight vehicles! An additional dedicated car deck will also have capacity for 300 passenger cars.

Construction of the new ferry began in April in Germany, with delivery scheduled for the middle of 2018.

The new vessel will feature

• Emissions scrubber technology
• Four 33,600 KW main engines
• Adherance to Ice Class specification for a wider geographic area of operation
• Dedication freight driver facilities
• Cinema, retail outlets and onboard pet facilities

The cruise ferry will be introduced on the routes currently served by the MV Epsilon on the Dublin <> Holyhead route.

A Big Ship Needs a Big Name

Irish Ferries are currently running a competition to find an 'Irish literary inspired name' for the new ship. Suggest a name for the ferry and you will be in with a chance to win free travel for life on any Irish Ferries service.

"This investment underpins the confidence the Group has in both the freight and passenger tourism markets between Ireland, Britain and France. The construction of a cruise ferry of this size will offer a premium experience for all our customers, in line with our commitment to deliver the best in service, in reliability and flexibility across all our routes. We also expect to be well positioned to accommodate the changing expectations of our customers, and to benefit from significant operational and financial benefits following the delivery in 2018."

- Eamonn Rothwell, Chief Executive Officer

Routes and schedules will be announced in October, with the launch from the ship yard due in January 2018.