HSS Stena Explorer to set sail from Holyhead after being sold to Turkish firm
The ferry - that first came on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route in 1996 - had been sold to a Turkish company and will remain in service rather than facing the scrapheap, according to Daily Post.
Originally costing £65m the catamaran - that could cross the Irish Sea in 99 minuntes - spent 18 years taking hundreds of thousands of passengers between Wales and Ireland.
But the boat was impacted by rising fuel prices which gradually saw the number of sailings reduced and in February this year Stena Line announced it was to be withdrawn from the route.
Now after sitting in dock at Holyhead for months it has been revealed the boat will leave the port in the coming days.
A tug is set to arrive in the town today to start preparations to take the vessel away although it has not been confirmed on which day the boat will make its final voyage from the port.
Its new name - One World Karadeniz - is now being painted on its hull.
HSS factfile
The Explorer was constructed by Finnyards in Finland. Construction commenced in June 1994 and was completed in February 1996, before entering service in April 1996.
It can carry 1,500 passengers and 360 cars
The HSS has a load capacity of 900 lane metres
The Explorer can travel at a speed of 40 knots
What are your views on this story? Have your say using our new commenting feature below.
The ferry - that first came on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route in 1996 - had been sold to a Turkish company and will remain in service rather than facing the scrapheap, according to Daily Post.
Originally costing £65m the catamaran - that could cross the Irish Sea in 99 minuntes - spent 18 years taking hundreds of thousands of passengers between Wales and Ireland.
But the boat was impacted by rising fuel prices which gradually saw the number of sailings reduced and in February this year Stena Line announced it was to be withdrawn from the route.
Now after sitting in dock at Holyhead for months it has been revealed the boat will leave the port in the coming days.
A tug is set to arrive in the town today to start preparations to take the vessel away although it has not been confirmed on which day the boat will make its final voyage from the port.
Its new name - One World Karadeniz - is now being painted on its hull.
HSS factfile
The Explorer was constructed by Finnyards in Finland. Construction commenced in June 1994 and was completed in February 1996, before entering service in April 1996.
It can carry 1,500 passengers and 360 cars
The HSS has a load capacity of 900 lane metres
The Explorer can travel at a speed of 40 knots
What are your views on this story? Have your say using our new commenting feature below.