Irish Continental Group has placed an order with the German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft to build a Ro-Pax ferry.
Upon completion, ICG said it would be the world's largest in terms of vehicle capacity.
The €165.2 million (US$199.2 million) vessel will accommodate 1,800 passengers and crew, with capacity for 5,610 freight lane metres, which provides the capability to carry 330 freight units per sailing.
Freight capacity will be provided over five decks, with three-tier freight bow loading providing efficient loading/unloading and quick turnaround times.
The cruise ferry, which is scheduled for delivery in 2020, is being built specifically for Dublin to Holyhead services.
It is expected to replace Ulysses, which will replace chartered vessel Epsilon in the fleet. This will allow for the deployment of the WB Yeats (arriving mid-2018) full-time on the direct Ireland to France route alongside Oscar Wilde.
The ferry will be powered by four main engines delivering 33,600kW of power and with an operating speed of 22.8 knots.
Passenger facilities will be spread over three decks.
