Irish Ferries will have a new ship in the fleet, either later this year or early next year.

The current Dublin/Holyhead ship the MV Ulysses will be transferred to a continental route.

When lauched in 2001 the Ulysses was the largest ro-ro ferry in the world capable of transporting 241 articluated trucks and trailers on each journey.

Irish ferries have said the new ship MV W B Yeats is larger than the current ferry and have on order a further ship of similar size.

There are of course other shipping companies.