About Irish Ferries

Irish Continental Group

The Ferries division of the Irish Continental Group comprises of Irish Ferries, the leading ferry operator to and from the Republic of Ireland, and the Group’s ship chartering activities. Irish Ferries operates four ferries on international routes between Ireland and the UK and between Ireland and France.

Our Fleet

Over the last number of years, we have invested over €450 million in new fleet and port facilities. We now have the most modern fleet in Europe including Ulysses, the World’s Largest Car Ferry, the Dublin Swift on the Dublin – Holyhead route and the Isle of Inishmore on the Pembrok - Rosslare route. In addition, we are very proud to have introduced a new addition to the fleet at the beginning of 2008 – the luxurious Oscar Wilde.

Competitive

Today, with three modern vessels and one fast craft, we have put ourselves in a strong position on the Irish Sea, not only to compete with our shipping rivals, but also to compete with the cheap airlines between Ireland and the UK.

An important move for us was the positioning of Irish Ferries as the “The Low Fares Ferry Company”, reflecting our determination to offer customers the very best in ferry fares value.

Passenger Revenue

In 2007, our passenger numbers increased by 12% to 1.57 million, while our car numbers increased by 14% to 405,000. The total number of sailings operated increased by 16% to 4,289. Our performance was underlined by the market’s response to the excellent value on offer through competitive fare structures and effective online booking facilities through irishferries.com.

In addition, customer feedback throughout the year continued to welcome the sustained high-quality of the on-board experience, which is key in delivering our promise of great value combined with superior service.

Freight Revenue

In the Roll on Roll off (RORO) freight market, growth continued and we achieved a record volume of traffic of 264,000 trucks, an increase of 11%. The market grew by 6%, maintaining the pattern of previous years. Again, the performance of the Irish economy was key to the continued growth of the market.

Our Position as Market Leader in RORO

Irish Ferries’ position as market leader was sustained by the continued strength of our operational record in punctuality and predictability, which are fundamental requirements in the demanding RORO market. We carried an estimated €10 billion worth of exports from Ireland in 2007, including technical equipment, pharmaceutical products, food and animal produce and the entire range of manufactured goods, which are shipped on a daily basis.

Irish Continental Group recognises that all forms of transport, including ships, have an unavoidable impact on the environment. We are committed to reducing negative impacts through:

• Consistent compliance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships (MARPOL 73/78)
• Minimising the consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels, including, for example, using electricity to power our cranes
• Using an oil recovery system to collect all waste oil from our ships. This oil is then recycled.
• Bulk purchasing to reduce the number of deliveries and packaging, and segregation of all waste cardboard packaging for recycling.
• Minimising wave generation, thus minimising disturbance of coastal habitats.
• Painting the hulls of all our ferries with tin-free non-toxic paints to avoid the release of harmful agents into the sea
• Promoting customer awareness of the marine environment
• Recycling paper at our Head Office in Dublin
• Reducing the sulphur content in marine fuels used on all of our vessels in compliance with the requirements of European Directive 2005/33/EC

Irish Continental Group continues to take an active interest in the communities within which it operates. Each separate business unit assists in local initiatives through sponsorship and organised events. We recognise the important role played by charities and community organisations within our communities and we are happy to help these organisations achieve their goals.