Liverpool to Dublins Seacat pulled out of service

When Jean,Janet and myself went to Ireland for a weeks driving holiday,we went on one of these ships,its quite a ride,the car went below we were upstairs,sort of like being on a large Boeing 747 but with no wings,the ship is jet powered,no Pilot is used,they can move sideway,as well as reverse and forward,acceleration is kept to a minimum,you dont want your tea or coffee split do you.

Built in Italy and in all aluminium,they are very deceptive speed wise,I was thinking around plus twenty knots,you can imagine my surprise to find they have a service speed as high as thirty eight (38) knots! At such speeds there are three watch keepers in the bridge,all with binoculars,looking for shipping or flotsam,they take these cats out of service when the winds go over 25 knots,the sea state becomes unmanagable I was told.






Seacat ferry service axed
Nov 23 2004 By Petra Mann & Mary Murtagh, Liverpool Echo

THE LIVERPOOL to Dublin Seacat ferry service has been axed.

The Steam Packet Company runs a daily service from Liverpool to Dublin and back from March to October, but staff were told yesterday the operation was being withdrawn.

There will be redundancies from the 48-strong staff, although it is not yet known how many will lose their jobs.

Many will be offered alternative work within the company.

The end of the service means there will no longer be a direct foot passenger service from Liverpool to Dublin. Instead, foot passengers will have to travel via Holyhead.

One employee said: "Everyone's mood has plummeted. It is a close-knit team that works on that route. We eat together, share cabins and are more friends than colleagues. We are all worried."

The announcement came on the same day that Ryanair revealed it was bringing in four new aircraft and nine new destinations from Liverpool, many beginning in March.

The new flights, which include Cork and Shannon in Ireland, mean the budget airline now travels to13 destinations from John Lennon airport. EasyJet also operates daily to Belfast.

A spokesman for the Steam Packet Company said: "The announcement follows a series of company decisions to expand other Irish Sea ferry services to and from the Isle of Man.

"We regret having to withdraw the Liverpool-Dublin seasonal service, but we have had to react to market conditions and focus our resources on our core services.

"We have faced tough competition from other surface operators and this has been exacerbated by the explosion of new air routes by the cheap operators."

The company has expanded its Liverpool to Isle of Man service next year and will use a larger and faster ferry which can carry more passengers and vehicles.

Norse Merchant Ferries and P&O Ferries operate a car passenger service from Liverpool to Dublin, but no foot passenger service.

Companies offering foot passenger services to Dublin go from Holyhead.