Irish Ferry Emerges from Refit at A&P Falmouth

On the evening of June 7th, A&P Falmouth welcomed the Irish Ferries passenger vessel Isle of Innisfree to its dry docks for repairs. This vessel represents the fourth Irish Ferries vessel to dock with A&P Group during 2002, following the dry docking of the Ulysses and Isle of Inishmore in Southampton and the Normandy at Falmouth. The 22,365grt Isle of Innisfree arrived at Falmouth on the evening of the 7th of June 2002 after leaving Le Havre, where she has been laid up for the past 12 months. The vessel carried out berthing trials at Le Havre, Cherbourg and Portsmouth before her trip to Falmouth where she entered No. 2 dock for a 10 day docking period. Work carried out included complete under water painting, main engine and generator surveys and overhauls, a small amount of steelwork, stern shaft seals were renewed and 4 propeller blades were removed for weld repairs and machining. The ship which is presently owned by Irish Ferries will be chartered to P&O European Ferries (Portsmouth) after the refit period, so whilst the vessel was in dock the name was changed to Pride Of Cherbourg, all the Irish Ferries logos on the side of the ship where removed and painted out, and replaced with the new P&O livery. The vessel will go on charter to P&O on the 1st of July 2002 but will stay at Falmouth for interior work to the accommodation and modifications to the stern ramp. When the vessel departs from Falmouth she will commence service for P&O on the Portsmouth - Cherbourg service.