Ferry firm Stena Line is putting on extra services between the Mersey and Dublin as the closure of Holyhead Port enters its second week. Tony McDonough reports
Stena Line is having to make alternative arrangements for its Irish Sea services as the closure of Holyhead Port enters its second week.
Holyhead was damaged by Storm Darragh more than a week ago and sailings from the North Wales port remain suspended. This has forced Stena to cancel all sailings on the normally busy Dublin to Holyhead route until at least Friday, December 20.
Stena is looking to increase capacity on other sections of its Irish Sea network. It has secured permission to take cars and their passengers on additional Birkenhead to Dublin sailings on Stena Estrid to the Twelve Quays terminal on the Mersey.
These sailings are currently for car passengers with existing bookings on cancelled Dublin to Holyhead sailings.
Stena Line has also chartered the Ben My Chree vessel to operate on a new Dublin to Heysham freight route. This temporary service will provide an extra round trip between Ireland and Great Britain with approximately 850 lane meters of space for freight.
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Johan Edelman, Stena Line’s Irish Sea trade director said: “The unprecedented closure of Holyhead Port in the run up to Christmas has caused major upheaval in freight flows between Ireland and Britain.
“Our priority in the coming days will be to mitigate as much as we can by trying to secure as much additional capacity as possible throughout our Irish Sea network.
“High levels of pre-Christmas bookings have made this a very challenging operation, but we are working around the clock to examine every conceivable opportunity.
“This unprecedented port closure has created a stressful situation for everyone involved, including both passengers and staff, so I would appeal for as much flexibility and patience as possible in the days ahead as we seek to reduce the pre-Christmas backlog.”