Out for a month

Irish Ferries says it is not taking bookings for sailings through 5 March on a fire-damaged vessel as the ship undergoes repairs in a Falmouth shipyard.

As TradeWinds has reported, the 31,900-gt ro-pax ferry Oscar Wilde (built 1987) suffered a fire as it left the UK port on 2 February. (See footage of the incident in this week's "Casualty file" in the media player at right.)

See the Oscar Wilde incident in this week's "Casualty file".

The fire broke out in the ship's generator compartment but was extinguished by on-board fire suppression systems.

In its latest update on the fire, Irish Ferries says it has cancelled sailings through 25 February on the Bahamas-flagged cruise ferry.

Repairs at A & P Shipyard are "proceeding satisfactorily," the Dublin-based operator of four vessels says.

"It is hoped that all repairs, inspections and safety certifications will be completed and the vessel returned to service on its Ireland-France routes as quickly as possible," the company said.

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