Irish Continental Group is to invest €165.2 million to build a new Ro-Pax cruise ferry for the Dublin - Holyhead route.

The new 67,400 tonne ferry will have capacity for 5,610 freight lane metres, providing the capability to carry 330 freight units per sailing. It will increase peak freight capacity by 50% when compared to the current ferry on this route, the MV Ulysses.

The ferry is scheduled for delivery before Mid-2020.

Features will include emissions scrubber technology and ballast water systems, which will meet current and known future environmental regulations and deliver optimal fuel consumption while minimising related costs. The cruise ferry will be powered by four main engines delivering 33,600 KW of power which will ensure a high degree of service reliability equal to the MV Ulysses.

The new vessel 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 the other new vessel, the W.B. Yeats (arriving Mid 2018) full-time on the direct Ireland - France route alongside the MV Oscar Wilde. The cruise ferry will also adhere to Ice Class specification which allows for a wide geographic area of operation.

Freight capacity will be provided over five decks. Uniquely, the vessel has been designed for three tier freight bow loading to allow for efficient loading/unloading and quick turnaround times.

This new cruise ferry provides Irish Ferries with a significant increase in both its freight & tourism carrying capacity on the fast-growing Dublin - Holyhead route.