Stena Line sailing in gale force winds?

BBC shipping forecast gives, for the Irish Sea:

Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, but occasionally 4 at first, becoming northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.

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However, navigating the (considerably obstructive) Stena Line website I can’t find any information on cancellations or even the acknowledgment of severe weather. Is nothing actually going on?

I've been on the Flushing-Breskens ferry with wind force 10 (this was with the previous doubledecker car ferries). It's not the Irish sea, but it's just to say that wind force 9 doesn't necessarily mean that ferries won't sail.
It was an interesting experience. Walking was challenging and you did not want to go on deck. This crossing is just 20 minutes. I'm not sure if'd be able to sleep on such a wild night sailing...
Interestingly, in Dutch, wind force 9 is simply "storm" and only 10 is "severe storm"...

rvdborgt said:

Interestingly, in Dutch, wind force 9 is simply "storm" and only 10 is "severe storm"...

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On the Beaufort Scale - 9 is 'severe gale', 10 is 'storm', 11 is 'violent storm'

I don’t think wind speed will have any effect on ships at sea.

What I believe is difficult is mooring up. Wind direction may also have an influence on what can and can not be done.

So, you may find that, a force 10 westerly gale will see shops cancelled but a force 10 southerly may not affect them

Fermiboson said:

However, navigating the (considerably obstructive) Stena Line website I can’t find any information on cancellations or even the acknowledgment of severe weather. Is nothing actually going on?

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Hi,
The Stena website is certainly a challenge to find some information on. Look for 'Sailing Updates' at the bottom left hand side of the main webpage and them follow those through.

The information there is not as accurate as you'd like though in disruption. I generally check where the various ferries are on marinetraffic.com to see if they are about where they should be at that time.
On the whole though Stena will sail in surprisingly bad weather - they make their money by offering a regular and reliable service for freight and they do seem to try to do so.

Looking out to sea this morning from Northern Ireland it was a bit choppy but nothing unusual and the marine tracking sites seem to show the ferries about where they should be...
Cheers,
Mr Toad

My second Channel crossing was in a force 10 - it was “interesting” to say the least. Further up in the North Sea the same gale led to the capsizing of a floating oil rig….

I've sailed from Holyhead to Dublin/Dún Laoghaire in some really horrific weather with Stena (on the fast craft).

The waves were breaking 100ft + high over the outer breakwater!

In my experience Stena line send out texts a few hours before departure saying the departure is currently on time - I would assume that if it was looking like a delay/cancellation due to weather they would say that in their texts

158801 said:

I don’t think wind speed will have any effect on ships at sea.

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Wave height ('sea state') is what matters most.

Fermiboson said:

BBC shipping forecast gives, for the Irish Sea:

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It wont be the wind so much as the sea state generated by said wind that they'll be concerned about. Phrases such as Very rough or High used to describe the Sea State (they all have specific meanings) should be watched for.

Having said that, high winds alone could impact docking operations if the winds are from particular directions - think cross winds at airports.