TonyMWeaver Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 It did go quiet and many on here including me thought it would never happen. This particular story appeared this morning in the wake of Brittany Ferries decision to scrap the Cork/Santander route. Link to post Share on other sites
neilcvx Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 4 minutes ago, hf_uk said: Hangon didn't some tell me recently that nobody had heard of this and it was a grande bit of pie in the sky!? I think the last part of that is still true. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Just now, neilcvx said: I think the last part of that is still true. Bet you Chris Grayling's in charge... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMWeaver Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 The 'Rizhao Orient' hasn't moved since I last checked back in November. Link to post Share on other sites
hf_uk Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Presumably BF need to errect some infrastructure pretty quick at Rosslare. Check in, and a terminal of sorts? Be good if anyone gets any pictures of this being done locally:) Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, hf_uk said: Presumably BF need to errect some infrastructure pretty quick at Rosslare. Check in, and a terminal of sorts? Be good if anyone gets any pictures of this being done locally:) There is already a building there which serves as a terminal. Although, apparently it's not very good. https://amp.independent.ie/regionals/enniscorthyguardian/news/port-in-a-storm-29030347.html Ed Link to post Share on other sites
jonno Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) In reference to the Corkbeo article... This is basically a copy & paste exercise from Sept/Oct 2019... when they said the route would open early 2020, now they say they could still have a ship in operation this year. I'd love to see a route to Vigo, Bouzas has great facilities. A decent linkspan, an area for a terminal and extensive marshalling areas but... could they at least propose vessels which are realistic and decide on a carrier, Grimaldi or GNV? I find it interesting that although this is a Spanish port and this link will somehow be strategic and Brexit busting, there is no talk of MoS funding and seemingly zero interest shown by Balearia or Naviera Armas. I'll believe it when I see it. Edited January 30, 2020 by jonno 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jonno Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, hf_uk said: Presumably BF need to errect some infrastructure pretty quick at Rosslare. Check in, and a terminal of sorts? Be good if anyone gets any pictures of this being done locally:) There's full terminal facilities at Rosslare, maybe the closed retail units within may get a new lease of life? Link to post Share on other sites
neilcvx Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 @jonno this one or Rosyth - Zeebrugge first? 😉 Link to post Share on other sites
hf_uk Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 3 minutes ago, Cabin-boy said: There is already a building there which serves as a terminal. Although, apparently it's not very good. https://amp.independent.ie/regionals/enniscorthyguardian/news/port-in-a-storm-29030347.html Ed Looks like Poole :O:O:O Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 1 minute ago, hf_uk said: Looks like Poole :O:O:O Oh, now you've done it... Link to post Share on other sites
neilcvx Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, hf_uk said: Looks like Poole :O:O:O Looks like Cairnryan, although all the terminal buildings I’ve been have been rather wanting in facilities apart from Portsmouth which is decent. Link to post Share on other sites
jonno Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 23 minutes ago, hf_uk said: Hangon didn't some tell me recently that nobody had heard of this and it was a grande bit of pie in the sky!? That was me, neither MSC nor Grimaldi have been spoken to. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
ccs147 Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 24 minutes ago, Cabin-boy said: There is already a building there which serves as a terminal. Although, apparently it's not very good. https://amp.independent.ie/regionals/enniscorthyguardian/news/port-in-a-storm-29030347.html Ed I'd imagine that artice is a few years old. Theyve tidies and brightened it up a lot since then. No 5star by any means but certianly useable. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hf_uk Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 1 minute ago, ccs147 said: I'd imagine that artice is a few years old. Theyve tidies and brightened it up a lot since then. No 5star by any means but certianly useable. Indeed. Plymouth terminal isn't fab. Big, but not fab. (before the Poole lot lynch me for earlier comments). #distributedcynicism 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Cabin-boy Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, ccs147 said: I'd imagine that artice is a few years old. Theyve tidies and brightened it up a lot since then. No 5star by any means but certianly useable. I think it dates from 2013 so, yes hopefully they've made some changes. I went through Rosslare back in 1996 but can't remember much except I think there was an upstairs waiting/observation lounge. Ed. Link to post Share on other sites
ccs147 Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 47 minutes ago, Cabin-boy said: I think it dates from 2013 so, yes hopefully they've made some changes. I went through Rosslare back in 1996 but can't remember much except I think there was an upstairs waiting/observation lounge. Ed. Yeah tehre was a bar and observation area upstairs but its been closed for many years. Last time I remember being up tehre was in teh early 2000s. Link to post Share on other sites
jonno Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 14 minutes ago, neilcvx said: @jonno this one or Rosyth - Zeebrugge first? 😉 Thing is, well for me anyway, it's another evolution. We had containerisation in the '60's which had consequences for port workers and now we're seeing a huge growth in inter modal freight services. This lean toward further automation is effecting the volume of accompanied freight which ferry's rely on to bolster their income as there simply isn't the passenger demand anymore, you only need to look at the DFT figures since 2000 to see that. We've lost the sailings to Scandinavia and the Rosyth link because now the bulk of the goods travel using the LoLo method, load on load off, from ports such as Tilbury and Immingham and the remaining passenger numbers aren't significant enough to keep the service going. Ports such as Rosyth suffer more as the port only had the one route which meant redundancies, the likes of Harwich & Newcastle can to a greater degree absorb the losses due to the remaining ships. It's also heavily influenced by infrastructure, if you don't have the road network the accompanied freight - the HGV's which fill your car decks - will go elsewhere. Time is money and this bottom line is why the Land Bridge across the U.K. is still of great importance, it's quick. What will compound the problems facing Rosyth is the full length duelling of the A66 and the proposed full length duelling of the A69 with bypasses built at Warwick bridge & Barton Mill. This will make Teesport & Port of Tyne more attractive and lessen the travel time to Hull & Immingham. It's the N25 bridge at New Ross and the M11 extension which is making Rosslare attractive, the facilities have always been there. Further south you simply can't ignore the massive changes going on which alters the board significantly. So far it's a bit 'out of sight out of mind'. The French channel ferry ports won't be handling anywhere near the level of accompanied freight it sees now. The EU have laid down the law, 800,000 TEU's per year must be taken off French roads by 2025 & 50% of accompanied freight which has traditionally transited the country from Spain, Portugal & Africa will need to board a ferry somewhere along the Spanish Atlantic coast. This is why the BF rail link from Bayonne is so strategically important for them, unaccompanied trailers will still give them channel freight volumes and with Cherbourg & Ouistreham being one company the freight can be shunted between them. This freight sharing will keep numbers up at both. The Basque Country, Cantabria & Asturias are undergoing massive reconstruction. Bilbao, San Sebastian & the closely linked Pasajes are having billions spent, these ports will be renewed.. larger, deeper and state of the art. Santander will have new larger facilities and Gijon will have improved road access. Renfe has control of all of the Spanish rail networks which were a huge obstacle due to the differing gauges used. That's all changed now. The whole picture needs to be looked at before anyone can see a port on a map, stick a pin in it and say "oooh let's go there" Lastly you need to understand the tonnage, who owns it, who operates it and what's proposed for it before we all start speculating. For instance Cap Finistere is having her engine ripped out and replaced with hybrids similar to what Honfleur has, she won't be sailing anywhere at 27-28 knots when that's done it'll be more like 20-22 kts. Sorry Neil, it's a bit of a novel. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
David Williams Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) There is a Tripadvisor section on the terminal facilities https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186642-d12962977-Reviews-Rosslare_Europort-Rosslare_County_Wexford.html#REVIEWS Key comments are go to the toilet before arriving and try not to spend too long in the terminal ! Edited January 30, 2020 by David Williams Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 2 hours ago, jonno said: 'll believe it when I see it. Likewise , and if there was enough freight traffic to support this venture how come BF are shifting to Rosslare . Link to post Share on other sites
BigDW1946 Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 On 25/01/2020 at 12:06, Gareth said: One of the things that has distinguished BF in the past (I’m sure by accident rather than design) is the fact that, in general, its ports and their environs are worthy destinations in their own right. The classic BF ports of Portsmouth, Poole, Plymouth, St Malo, Roscoff and Santander are gems of places that are a delight to sail in and out of and where is is more than possible to spend an enjoyable day visiting. Ouistreham itself may not have much to commend it, but the surrounds of D-Day heritage give it unique appeal. Cherbourg is worthy of a visit. The move of the Bilbao terminal out of town, and operating to Le Havre, marked a move away from this phenomenon. But dropping the charms of Cork harbour for the functional industrial blandness of Rosslare Europoort would be in a different league. It would actually become the first BF port that I would have no interest in sailing to just for the sake of it. Gareth, as someone who lives in the hinterland of Rosslare, known over here as the sunny South East, I'd like to point out that there is plenty of beautiful and cultural sites and things to do in this part of Ireland. Plus the the M11 finishes only 30Km short of Rosslare which means Dublin and the rest of Leinster is less than 2 hours away. I could go on, go on, go on 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Gareth Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 53 minutes ago, BigDW1946 said: Gareth, as someone who lives in the hinterland of Rosslare, known over here as the sunny South East, I'd like to point out that there is plenty of beautiful and cultural sites and things to do in this part of Ireland. Plus the the M11 finishes only 30Km short of Rosslare which means Dublin and the rest of Leinster is less than 2 hours away. I could go on, go on, go on Indeed. I was really talking about the port itself. Link to post Share on other sites
hhvferry Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 5 hours ago, neilcvx said: This is the ship that they are supposedly using, although there seems to be a lot of optimism involved, Rizhao orient, (cheesy music warning) Still using Grimaldi Holdings branded key cards If this ship (unlikely I know) ever comes over I think passengers will like her, she's no cruise ferry but offers a lot more comfort than a Visentini. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 I've hidden a few recent posts. I'll DM those affected. Link to post Share on other sites
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