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Stena Switch to Cairnryan Confirmed

STENA line's multi-million pound move to Cairnryan has been rubber stamped by the Scottish Executive.

As revealed by the Free Press in April, the switch was signed off by the then Transport Minister Tavish Scott.

This week comes confirmation that the Port of Cairnryan Ltd, the joint venture company formed by Stena and P&O Irish Sea have been granted their application for a Harbour Empowerment Order, the final planning stage in the project.

This is on top of the £36 million investment which Stena are making in a new terminal in Belfast, designed with Cairnryan to cut the time taken by the HSS Stena Voyager on the North Channel crossing.

Work to extend the facilities at Cairnryan which will include land reclamation, a new terminal building for Stena, berthing for the HSS and a new roll on-roll off berth for P&O, should be under way by August. Completion is scheduled for the end of next year.

Stena Line route director, Alan Gordon, told the Free Press yesterday (Wednesday):

"Today 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 fourth largest tourist gateway and largest ferry port in Scotland."