MS Star I

MS Star I is a fast Ro-Pax ferry owned and operated by Tallink on the Paldiski to Kapellskär route. She was built as Star at Aker Finnyards Helsinki Shipyard, Finland for Tallink and entered service on their Helsinki to Tallinn service on 12 April 2007. After being chartered by Irish Ferries in 2023 for an initial period of 20 months, the ship's name was changed to Oscar Wilde. In May 2024, Irish Ferries renamed the ferry James Joyce. In January 2025 at the end of her charter, she returned to Tallink entering service between Estonia and Sweden. She is due to move back to the Irish Sea, in May 2025 after being sold to Irish Continental Group, owner of Irish Ferries, after its charter with the company. She is due to be deployed on the Dublin to Holyhead route.
The ship's design is heavily based on that of SeaFrance Rodin, built by Aker Finnyards for SeaFrance in 2001.
Star was the first fast ferry capable of year-round service used on the Helsinki–Tallinn route. The green external livery of the ship was according to Tallink promotional material "meant to reflect the environmentally friendly aspects of the ship's design". Star operated three daily departures from both Helsinki and Tallinn, each crossing taking two hours. In Tallink marketing, Star was often referred to as "Tallink Star". The ship's planned original delivery date was 5 April 2007, but this was postponed until 12 April 2007, owing to problems with the main engines.
During the COVID-19 outbreak crisis the ship was assigned to a government emergency service between Paldiski, Estonia, and Sassnitz, Germany to ease the transportation of goods between Estonia and Central Europe. Poland had closed its borders and required health declarations from truck drivers which introduced long truck queues on its borders and slowed transportation.
On 6 April 2023, Irish Ferries announced they were chartering Star from Tallink for 20 months, with possible extensions of 2+2 years, and an eventual possibility of purchase. The ship was renamed Oscar Wilde and was initially positioned on the Rosslare – Pembroke route, replacing the also chartered Greek ferry Blue Star 1.
On 31 January 2024 she was replaced on the route from Rosslare by Norbay, allowing Oscar Wilde to be deployed from 11 February 2024 on the company's two primary services from Dublin, sailing to Cherbourg, France on one weekend rotation and to Holyhead, Wales for the rest of the week. After new chartered ships entered service with Irish Ferries, Oscar Wilde was renamed James Joyce in May 2024.
The initial 20-month charter ended in January 2025 with the first of the possible extensions not exercised. The ship sailed to Damen repair shipyard Dunkerque before being handed back to Tallink and being renamed MS Star.
On 24 January 2025, Tallink announced that the vessel would enter service on 9 February 2025 on the Paldiski to Kapellskär route. The press released shows Star in a different iteration of the Tallink livery to her original period operating on the Tallinn to Helsinki route.
On 2 April 2025, Irish Continental Group released a joint statement with Tallink stating they reached a deal to purchase Star I. She will be redeployed on the Dublin - Holyhead route, initially replacing Isle of Inisheer on the route during May 2025.
Media related to IMO 9364722 at Wikimedia Commons