Birkenhead to Belfast ferry operator Stena Line signs new deal with Peel Ports to operate out of the River Mersey for the next 77 years. Tony McDonough reports

Stena Line’s Birkenhead to Belfast ferry route will continue to the 22nd century after the Swedish ferry firm signed a new deal with Peel Ports.

Since 2011, Stena has operated a twice-daily passenger and freight service between the River Mersey and Belfast. Vessels Stena Mersey and Stena Lagan were originally used on the route but they were replaced by Stena Edda and Stena Embla in 2020 and 2021.

Both of the newer vessels have greater capacity and are more fuel efficient. In 2019 Stena and Peel Ports combined to invest £17m to upgrade the Twelve Quays terminal at Birkenhead to accommodate the new ships.

Now Stena has renewed its commitment to Birkenhead by signing a deal with Peel Ports to operate from Twelve Quays for at least the next 77 years. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Stena Line operates six routes and 12 vessels across the Irish Sea and Birkenhead has been a key focus for investment. Stena Edda and Stena Embla have increased capacity on the Belfast route by a third.

And Stena has made further investments with the recent purchase of two sites adjacent to the Twelve Quays Terminal. These will provide additional freight storage for its freight customers as they continue to expand their businesses there.

Niclas Martensson, chief executive of Stena Line, said: “After 12 successful years in 12 Quays our business in Birkenhead continues to flourish year-after-year.

“This deal is a sign of our long-term commitment  to Birkenhead and Peel Ports, with whom we have a very strong partnership. We will continue to make significant investments to increase our services to our customers across the Irish Sea.”

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Stena Line is one of Europe’s leading ferry companies with 39 vessels and 18 routes in Northern Europe.

David Huck, chief operating officer at Peel Ports Group, added: “We have built a highly successful partnership with Stena Line over the years for the development of services across the Irish Sea.

“This long-term agreement reaffirms our commitment to enable further investment into Birkenhead and the Mersey cluster.”