First off, Hibernia line is a freight first service, that is the golden nugget when it comes to ferry services as trucks pay most and trucks are using the service all year round.
The roof box brigade, the seasonal ethnic folk in their camper vans and pedestrians are all very welcome but they are not this services golden nugget.
Quick history, Hibernia was started up by Aidan Coffey a well known Cork business man. He used to work with DFDS ( huge pan European transport company), it was he came up with the idea of the now booming commerical RORO service between Rosslare and Dunkirk. A service that Steve guy could not use as they don't allow pedestrians on their service.
He saw a gap and I do hope this route works out in the long run. He sought investors and got them, one of which is Lawrence Goodman, yes the beef barons son, who invested €20 m into the business.
With Goodman onboard this is a huge positive as that lands them a huge slice of the refrigerated artics that leave Ireland every week with meat from ABP products that go all over Europe.
It may come as news to many, but truck drivers on other ferry routes from Ireland are not treated that well, in, when the ferries get busy, they often have to bunk in a cabin, with other drivers, who they don't even know.
So Hibernia have a policy from the get go, every truck driver is guaranteed their own cabin.
The deal to get the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer was a genius move, as that is close to some of the major motorways in the North East of France. Irish truckers now have the quickest route via Ringaskiddy to Germany / Belgium/ Netherlands/ Paris and all the major motorways heading further east and north.
Obviously Hibernia know what side of their bread needs to be buttered and it is not being buttered by pedestrians on the servce, especially those, like Steve with extraordinary requests
People get on ferries, get their cabins, get to the other side, get their stuff and leave.
But not Steve
Infairness Hibernia do not have the money to waste currently on foot passengers, yes there is a link span in Ringaskiddy that they could use, but that would require more staff and then it costs the company to carry pedestrians so I can see the logic in them not bending over backwards for foot passengers.
They recently got Rachel Allen onboard to do new menus etc and that is going very well for them. There is also very positive feedback back coming back on the staff on the ships, all very helpful and friendly.
As regards the ships, they are operating 2 ships which are on charter from other companies. First off their flag ship, St Patrick she is leased from a Finnish ferry company called Tallink and Hibernia have it for a 3 year period with a purchase option. This is the fastest ferry currently operating to continental Europe, she can do 24 knots no issues, she has even hit 27 kns, so if she is delayed she is well able to make up time.
St Patrick is absolutely perfect for the service which was originally down as a 21 hour crossing. Not bad for a ship that is 24 years old.
The other ship is Akka, she is a typical Baltic type monstrosity, a thirsty beast no doubt.
She cannot do the speed that St Patrick does, she operates at a speed more reflective of a normal ferry topping off at around 22kns which must cost a small fortune in fuel
This is the ferry that Steve has that photo of in the background looking all manky.
Well the fact is, that area in which he is standing was taped off and he should not be in that area as it was already scrapped back by painters and that area was in the process of being repainted, also, there is no " Hibernia Lines " signage there, more signs of a guy looking for clicks.
Going back to Akka, she became the second ship when the route was launched on 12th June, Hibernia only have that ship on a 6 month lease, it will be interesting to see what ship they replace her with.
Akka is German flagged and owned by TT Line, a Baltic Sea operator. She is over 25 years old ( imagine it rust on a 25 year old ship )
It takes 12 months at least before new ferry services make money, I dread to think what the investors and bankers etc have sunk into this company and I do hope it works out for them.
