Dublin Swift is a high-speed catamaran built in 2001 by Austal as a passenger and vehicle ferry. Following conversion into a Maritime Prepositioning ship, the vessel was chartered by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command until January 2018 as WestPac Express. It was then converted for civilian passenger ferry by Irish Ferries and renamed Dublin Swift.
History After a demonstration in 2001, Austal signed a three-year lease with Military Sealift Command for the WestPac Express.US Military Breakthrough Austral 3 July 2001Austal Secures Landmark Ferry Contract with United States Military Austral 31 January 2002WestPac Express Austal
In March 2011, the WestPac Express was deployed as part of the US response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. In recognition of this service, Admiral Mark Buzby presented the ship’s crew with United States Merchant Marine Outstanding Achievement Medal at a ceremony on board the ship in Yokohama, Japan.US Military Signs New Charter for Austal High Speed Vessel Defpro The lease was renewed successively until the end of 2017.US Navy extends Austal charter The West Australian 6 October 2014WestPac Express completes 16 year charter Defence Connect 11 January 2018
In April 2016 WestPac Express was sold to Irish Continental Group, who continued to lease it to the Military Sealift Command until the end of 2017.Irish Ferries Owner Acquire Fast-Ferry for $13.25m Afloat 15 April 2016
With its charter to the US Navy completed, in January 2018 WestPac Express arrived in Belfast for refurbishment at Harland & Wolff to replace the Jonathan Swift on Irish Ferries' Dublin to Holyhead route. It entered service in April 2018.News in brief Ships Monthly April 2018 page 10First look: Dublin Swift, the new fast ferry to Holyhead Irish Times 14 May 2018
Service Dublin Swift operates the Dublin–Holyhead route for Irish Ferries. The crossing typically takes about 2 hours 15 minutes, compared with approximately 3 hours 15 minutes for conventional ferries. The vessel generally operates between spring and autumn and is laid up during the winter months.
Follow on orders With a design based on the WestPac Express, Austal USA built 10 Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport vessels for use by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps and the United States Coast Guard with a further two on order.Austral Awarded Joint High Speed Vessel Contract Austal 14 November 2008Austal Delivers Expeditionary Fast Transport the USNS Burlington (EPF 10) to the US Navy Austal 16 November 2018
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