The calf trade is set to come under further pressure this week as another vessel which sails from Ireland to Cherbourg, France, that is approved to transport livestock, is set to enter dry dock.
The WB Yeats is expected to remain in dry dock from Tuesday, May 3, until Monday, May 9. However, routine services of vessels of this size can often take longer than had been originally anticipated – as is what happened with the Stena Horizon
The Stena Line vessel ‘Stena Horizon’ has now been in dry dock for almost five weeks. The boat’s routine service has taken three weeks longer than was originally anticipated and it remains unclear if the ferry’s routine service will be complete on time to resume sailing later this week.
While the WB Yeats remains in dry dock, the Blue Star ferry will be covering the Irish Ferries’ Dublin to Cherbourg route.
However, the vessel covering for the WB Yeats is not licensed to carry livestock, so Irish Ferries will be unable to transport livestock on their Dublin-Cherbourg route.
Meanwhile, while the Stena Horizon ferry remains in dry dock, no livestock will be transported by Stena Line from Rosslare to Cherbourg.
Export numbers high
Despite the setback to live exports from the Stena Horizon’s prolonged dry dock period, calf exports have been performing well, with numbers running ahead of 2021 and 2020.
Up to and including the week ending April 17, this year, a total of almost 103,000 calves had been exported.
This figure is almost 16,000 calves ahead of the near 87,000 head of calves exported in the same time period last year.
It is hoped that the Stena Horizon will resume sailing later this week. While European customers remain anxious for Irish calves, the demand from the continent will not be felt in the Irish calf market without a vessel to transport these calves to markets on mainland Europe.