Irish shipping group ICG has extended charter agreements for two ro-paxes as it announced a rise in first-half profit.

The owner of Irish Ferries and feeder containerships said its 22,400-gt Kaitaki (built 1994) is to remain on charter in New Zealand to June 2020, after KiwiRail used its option to stretch its stay by another three years.

And ICG’s charter-in of the 26,400-gt Epsilon