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Exciting developments ahead for Stena Line
Business on the Irish Sea is looking up for Stena Line Freight with port developments at both Belfast and Cairnryan set to open new gateways for customers to and from Ireland.
 The new Stena Line ferry terminal, currently under construction at the Port of Belfast, represents an investment of £35 million in the route and will cut journey times for freight customers travelling between Belfast to Scotland.
The three-storey 35,000 sq ft facility, due to open just before the busy 2008 summer season, is being built on reclaimed land at the edge of the existing Port and will enable Stena Line to relocate its Belfast operations closer to the Scottish coast.
Speaking at the launch of construction work, Stena Line’s global CEO Gunnar Blomdahl said: “The Irish Sea is a key part of Stena Line’s international business and also one of its strongest growing markets.
“Together with a new proposed facility in Cairnryan, the new Belfast terminal will reduce travel time by 20 minutes and allow Stena Line to provide additional sailings for customers.
“Our strategy of a rolling investment programme, which has included £150m in this route alone over the last ten years, has been matched by our commitment to customer service,” he added.
Meanwhile across the Irish Sea, the Port of Cairnryan Ltd has been granted its application for a Harbour Empowerment Order (HEO), the final planning stage in its proposed expansion of facilities at Cairnryan Port to accommodate Stena Line and the port’s current tenant P&O.
Stena Line and P&O officials have worked closely with Scottish Executive officials and a range of statutory authorities over the last few years to gain planning permission for Stena Line to move its ferry operations from Stranraer to Cairnryan as part of a £70m investment programme.
Stena Line Route Director Alan Gordon said: “This is a real milestone for the people of South West Scotland. The new port will provide a modern, state-of-the-art facility for the third largest tourist and freight gateway in the UK and largest port in Scotland.
“The investment, in the region of £70m, is currently the largest proposed investment in South West Scotland and represents a huge, long-term commitment by Stena Line to the area and its people. One of the main objectives of the development will be to protect and preserve existing employment in the region. In tandem with the new facilities it is worth noting that the proposal will also accommodate a series of much needed road improvements to and from the new facility, focusing on a 30 mile radius around Loch Ryan,” he added.
Work on the Port of Cairnryan facility began immediately after the HEO was granted and has a target completion date of the end of 2008.
The Irish Sea is not the only sector of business that Stena Line Freight has been focussing on for development. The company’s North Sea and English Channel routes have also enjoyed investment to the tune of a massive £170 MILLION in the past few years, evidenced most recently by the introduction of the Stena Traveller on the Killingholme to Hoek van Holland route.
 The Stena Traveller operates alongside the Stena Trader which itself was introduced on the route in September 2006. These new ships offer many benefits to freight customers, according to Frank Nieuwenhuys, Stena Line, Freight Commercial Manager, UK and Republic of Ireland.
“This is a strategically important route that has in a very short time proven itself to be of real benefit to the logistics industry,” said Frank. “Subject to pick up and delivery point, more and more companies prefer to avoid the congestion of the south east of the UK while enjoying environmental benefits and the advantage of reduced mileage offered through North Sea ports.
“We have now virtually doubled our capacity on the route, with both the Stena Traveller and the Stena Trader each providing 3,100 lane metres, and we are offering freight customers more choice with daily departures from both Killingholme and Hoek van Holland two hours later than before at 2100hrs, arriving into their respective ports at 0700hrs and 0900hrs, exactly as we did previously. This allows freight users more time to reach ports and consolidate their loads in the 24/7 business environment in which we operate.
“Also, a guaranteed scheduled departure each day with matched capacity and the same departure times makes it easier for hauliers to plan ahead,” he added.
Other North Sea investments include the lengthening of both the Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica ferries on the Harwich to Hoek van Holland route. Both have had new mid-sections added, making them the largest ferries of their type in operation in the world. In addition, the extended ferries now incorporate new dedicated truckers’ lounges enabling them to relax, meet colleagues and dine in surroundings specifically designed with the busy freight driver in mind.
Stena Line’s North Sea Area Director Pim de Lange said: “By lengthening both the Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica, freight capacity has risen from 180 to 260 units, the number of cabins has doubled to 400 and the maximum passenger capacity to 900 while the total number of passenger cars that we can accommodate has risen from 60 to 170.
“I am proud that we have been able to accomplish all this by working together and I expect great returns from this very important investment,” concluded Pim.
Stena Line offers customers a choice of over 50 sailings across eight routes on the North and Irish Sea. These include Killingholme to Hoek van Holland, Harwich to Hoek van Holland, Harwich to Rotterdam, Holyhead to Dublin, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Fishguard to Rosslare, Stranraer to Belfast and Fleetwood to Larne.
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