A new £20 million `seacat' ferry for Sea Containers' Dublin-Liverpool route was introduced into service yesterday. The SuperSeaCat Three is the third vessel to ply the route since the service began three years ago. Like its immediate predecessor, the ferry can carry 750 passengers and 150 cars but the company says the latest Italian-built vessel is more comfortable on rough seas. The 100-metre ship is the largest mono hull high speed fast ferry on the Irish Sea and will provide a twice-daily service from Dublin and Liverpool.
Sea Containers' Irish subsidiary, SuperSeaCat, competes with Irish Ferries and Stena Line on routes to Britain although it does not transport cargo.
Mr John Burrows, general manager of the Dublin-Liverpool service, said there had been almost 1,000 sailings with more than 300,000 passengers on the route last year despite a season of bad weather.
Liverpool and Dublin were vibrant cities and the ferry link brought them closer together. He said ferry companies were investing in fast ferries as a means of countering competition from airlines. "There has been a sea change in the ferry market," he said.
He was hopeful there would be an extension of intra-EU duty free sales beyond June. "But we are looking at alternative areas where we can generate revenue on board."
SuperSeaCat Three makes the Liverpool crossing in three hours, 45 minutes. A Little Chef Express restaurant and Franklins of Boston cafe operate as on-board concessions shops. Granada Retail Catering, which operates in motorway retail shops, is managing the retail outlet.
Sea Containers is a London and New York quoted rail, ferry and hotels company. It operates nine routes across the Irish Sea, including the recently opened Belfast to Troon in Scotland, and Belfast to Heysham in England.
Through its subsidiary, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, it sails from Dublin to Douglas.
Last month, the Bermuda-based company, which also has Scandinavian and US interests, reported a 40 per cent increase in after-tax profits for 1998 of $58.7 million (€54.39 million) on a $1.3 billion (€1.2 billion) turnover.
