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Green light for Cairnryan Port Development
Port of Cairnryan Ltd, the joint company between P&O Irish Sea and Stena Line, has been granted its application for a Harbour Empowerment Order (HEO), which is the final planning stage in its proposed expansion of facilities at Cairnryan Port to accommodate both P&O Irish Sea, the current ferry operators, and Stena Line Ltd.
Stena Line and P&O management have been working closely with Scottish Executive officials and a range of statutory authorities over the last few years to gain planning permission for P&O to create a new berth and for Stena Line to move its ferry operations from Stranraer to Cairnryan as part of a multi-million investment programme.
The granting of an HEO will now allow executives of the Port of Cairnryan to progress with the financing and construction of a new state-of-the-art terminal and extended berthing facilities to accommodate both operations.
Alan Gordon, Route Director Stena Line said: “This is a huge, long-term commitment by P&O Irish Sea and Stena Line to the South West of Scotland. 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.”
Terry Cairns, Managing Director P&O Irish Sea said: “The new enhanced facility will be the best in Scotland and will give the people of South West Scotland a strong foundation for future prosperity. Scotland needs a world class ferry port facility and I’m delighted that P&O and Stena Line have been able to work together to create such a unique facility.”
Work on the facility will commence immediately with a target completion date of the end of 2008.
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