The Dublin-based owner of Irish Ferries said it had taken a 2011-built vessel renamed as Epsilon to offer two more daily crossings to Holyhead.

The vessel appears to be Caronte's 26,400-gt Cartour Epsilon.

It said: "The resumption in growth in the freight market between Ireland and the UK has provided the opportunity to introduce additional shipping capacity to accommodate the consequent increase in ro-ro traffic between both ports."

The