View source for MV Ulysses (2000)

{{Short description|Vehicle and passenger ferry operated by Irish Ferries}}
{{For|other ships named Ulysses|MV Ulysses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Ulysses Arriving In Dublin.jpg
| Ship caption = MV ''Ulysses'' approaching [[Dublin Port]]
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
|Ship country=Cyprus
| Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Cyprus|civil}}
| Ship name = MS ''Ulysses''
| Ship owner = [[Irish Continental Group]]
| Ship operator = [[Irish Ferries]]
| Ship registry = [[Limassol]], {{Flag|Cyprus|civil}}
| Ship route = [[Dublin]]–[[Holyhead]]
| Ship builder = Aker Finnyards Oy, [[Rauma shipyard]]  <!--It wasn't STX at the time of building; the takeover/merger came several years later-->
| Ship original cost = €110M / IR£80m 
| Ship yard number = 429
| Ship way number = 
| Ship laid down = 24 January 2000{{Ref|merrigan}}
| Ship launched = 1 September 2000{{Ref|merrigan}}
| Ship completed = 2001
| Ship christened = 
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship maiden voyage = 
| Ship in service = March 2001
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9214991}}
*{{MMSI Number|209952000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: C4HP2
| Ship fate = 
| Ship status = In service
| Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = 
| Ship tonnage = 50,938 [[Gross tonnage|GT]]
| Ship displacement = 
| Ship length = {{convert|209.2|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|31.84|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship height = {{convert|51|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught = {{convert|6.3|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship depth = {{convert|15.75|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} (moulded)<ref name="st"/>
| Ship decks = 12
| Ship deck clearance = 
| Ship ramps = 
| Ship ice class = 1A
| Ship sail plan = 
| Ship power = 4x MaK M43
| Ship propulsion = 2 x LIPS type 4C16 controllable pitch propellers<ref name="st"/>
| Ship speed = {{convert|22|knots|0|lk=in}}
| Ship capacity = *1,938 passengers<ref name="st"/>
*1,342 cars
*241 trucks
*4,076 [[Lanes in metres|lanemeter]]s<ref name="st"/>
| Ship crew = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

'''MV ''Ulysses''''' is a [[roll-on/roll-off|RORO]] car [[ferry]] currently owned and operated by [[Irish Ferries]]. The ship was launched on 1 September 2000{{Ref|merrigan}} at [[STX Finland|Aker Finnyards]] shipyard in [[Rauma, Finland|Rauma]], [[Finland]] and services the [[Dublin]]–[[Holyhead]] route.

The vessel stands 12 decks high, at a height of 167.5 feet<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.marinelink.com/news/finnyards-delivers-unique318599|title=Aker Finnyards Delivers Unique Ferry|date=1 March 2001|work=MarineLink|access-date=3 February 2018|language=en}}</ref> (approx 51 metres) from keel to mast. The vessel has five vehicle decks, including a stowable mezzanine deck consisting of two 'swing decks', called 'Plates', which are lowered to accommodate a greater number of 'low vehicles' (i.e. vehicles up to 2 metres high)—these swing decks are primarily used in holiday seasons when there is a much greater number of passenger vehicles. When launched she was the world's largest car ferry in terms of vehicle capacity.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/hw-visitors-irish-ferries-ulysses/|title=H&W Visitors: Irish Ferries' Ulysses - NI Ferry Site|date=4 July 2018|work=NI Ferry Site|access-date=4 July 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Design ==
''Ulysses'' was designed by Aker Finnyards and based on their Cruise Ferry 4000 concept design.<ref name="ms">{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorship.com/news101/industry-news/irish-ferries-for-finnish-yard|title=The Motorship {{!}} Irish ferries for Finnish yard|website=www.motorship.com|language=en|access-date=3 February 2018}}</ref> She measures 50,938 [[gross tonnage|GT]], and is {{convert|209|m|ft}} long, with a beam of {{convert|31.2|m|ft}} and a draft of {{convert|6.4|m|ft}}.<ref name="st">{{cite web | url=https://www.ship-technology.com/projects/ulysses/ | title=Ulysses | publisher=Ship Technology | accessdate=21 September 2018}}</ref> She can carry 2,000 passengers and crew, 1,342 cars or 241 articulated trucks and trailers (or a mix of cars and freight vehicles).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> She has 228 passenger berths in 96 cabins, with passenger space spread over 12 decks.<ref name="st"/><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://otp.investis.com/clients/uk/icg1/rns/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=500&newsid=962216|title=Irish Continental Group plc : Irish Continental Group plc invests €165.2 million to build a new cruise ferry for Dublin – Holyhead route|website=otp.investis.com|access-date=3 February 2018}}</ref>

She is powered by four [[Maschinenbau Kiel|MaK]] M43 diesel engines, each delivering {{convert|7800|kW|hp}} at 500rpm for a total power output of {{convert|31200|kW|hp}}, that give her a service speed of {{convert|22|kn|mph}} via two propellers.<ref name="st"/>  She also has three thrusters at the bow and one at the stern to aid in maneuvering.<ref name="st"/>

==History==
Irish Ferries ordered ''Ulysses'' from Aker Finnyards in late 1999.<ref name="ms"/>  She was laid down on 24 January 2000 and launched on 1 September.<ref>{{cite ship register|register=MSI|id=9214991|shipname=Ulysses|accessdate=21 September 2018}}</ref>
She was handed over to her owners, [[Irish Continental Group]], at the Rauma yard on 22 February 2001, leaving under the command of Captain Peter Ferguson on 28 February and arriving in Dublin Bay at 07:00 on Sunday 4 March.{{Ref|merrigan}}  The [[Ship naming and launching|naming ceremony]] was undertaken by swimmer [[Mairead Berry]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/berry-determined-to-keep-on-pushing-the-boat-out-26099309.html|title=Berry determined to keep on pushing the boat out - Independent.ie|work=Independent.ie|access-date=3 February 2018|language=en}}</ref>

Following the 2003 sailing season, ''Ulysses'' underwent a refit at the [[A&P Group]]'s Birkenhead shipyard.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marinelink.com/news/323897 | title=A&P Busy in the Ferry Refit Season | publisher=Marine Link | date=8 January 2018 | accessdate=21 September 2018}}</ref>  She has sailed on Irish Ferries' Dublin&ndash;Holyhead route for her entire career, uninterrupted until the 2018 season when she suffered mechanical problems with her starboard propeller, requiring drydock repairs that took several weeks in June and July.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/256622/irish-ferries-ulysses-to-remain-out-of-service/ | title=Irish Ferries' Ulysses to Remain Out of Service | publisher=World Maritime News | date=10 July 2018 | accessdate=21 September 2018}}</ref> On 12 December 2024 she serviced the Dublin-Cherbourg route for the first time, docking in Cherbourg on 13 December 2024.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Poolbeg Generating Station as seen from MV Ulysses (2000), an Irish Ferries ship leaving Dublin 04.jpg|The ship passing by the [[Poolbeg Generating Station|Poolbeg chimneys]] as it leaves Dublin in 2022
Dublin Port as seen from the back of MV Ulysses (2000), an Irish Ferries ship leaving Dublin 02.jpg|Dublin Port as seen from the back of the ferry
MV Ulysses 3.jpg|Smokestacks
MV Ulysses 6.jpg|Passenger seating on the 9th deck
MV Ulysses 5.jpg|Leopold Blooms Bar on the 9th deck
MV Ulysses 7.jpg|Vehicle deck 5
MV Ulysses 4.jpg|[[Lifeboat (shipboard)|Lifeboat]]s
MV Ulysses 1.jpg|Helicopter deck
</gallery>

==References==

#{{note|bbcnews}}{{cite web |date=1 September 2000 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/905010.stm |url-status=live |title=World's largest ferry launched |work=BBC News Online |publisher=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021223032338/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/905010.stm |archive-date=23 December 2002 |accessdate=28 March 2006}}
#{{note|naming}}{{cite web |year=2001 |url=http://www.irishferries.com/ulysses/naming_ceremony.shtml |title=Gold Medal Winner Mairéad The 'Golden Godmother' To World's Largest Car Ferry 'Ulysses' |publisher=Irish Ferries |access-date=28 March 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060316191243/http://www.irishferries.com/ulysses/naming_ceremony.shtml |archive-date=16 March 2006 |url-status=dead}}
#{{note|stenaline1}}{{cite web
 |year=2007 
 |url=http://www.stenaline.com/stena_line/freight/freight_facts/gb/vessels_13856.html 
 |title=Vessels - Stena Britannica 
 |publisher=Stena Line 
 |access-date=15 August 2007 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520054619/http://www.stenaline.com/stena_line/freight/freight_facts/gb/vessels_13856.html 
 |archive-date=20 May 2007 
 |url-status=dead 
 }}
#{{note|stenaline2}}{{cite web
 |year=2007 
 |url=http://www.stenaline.com/stena_line/freight/freight_facts/gb/vessels_13855.html 
 |title=Vessels - Stena Hollandica 
 |publisher=Stena Line 
 |access-date=15 August 2007 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927203017/http://www.stenaline.com/stena_line/freight/freight_facts/gb/vessels_13855.html 
 |archive-date=27 September 2007 
 |url-status=dead 
 }}

;Specific
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ulysses (ship, 2001)}}
*[http://www.ferry-site.dk/ferry.php?id=9214991&lang=en M/F Ulysses - The ferry site]
*[https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/ships/ulysses/ Ulysses - Irish Ferries]

{{FerriesIrishSea}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulysses}}
[[Category:Ships built in Rauma, Finland]]
[[Category:Ferries of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:2000 ships]]
[[Category:Ro-ro ships]]