Belfast to Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port)
Stena in Belfast – Celebrating 20 years of Stena Line operating from Belfast.
20th anniversary of Stena Line switching the historic Larne – Stranraer service to Belfast. Today marks 20 years from the last sailing of what was then Stena Sealink Line, into the Port of Larne from Scotland, with tomorrow the anniversary of the first Stena ferry sailing from Belfast. Few could have predicted at the time that 20 years, and 2 bespoke Belfast-Scotland terminals later, Stena Line would also offer services from Belfast to Birkenhead and Heysham, as well as operating a pair of 203 metre long ferries to Scotland from Belfast. Just six weeks after the switch, on the 31st December 1995, the “Sealink” name would disappear altogether with all UK operations being rebranded as “Stena Line”. Of course, things have also changed dramatically at Larne. No longer Northern Ireland’s premier ferry port, Stena’s rise at Belfast has been somewhat mirrored by P&O’s decline at Larne. The services to Fleetwood and ... Read more
Today’s sailing updates
Updates to the original text are in red. Stena Line have posted the following to their ferrycheck page “Please be advised that due to earlier adverse weather the next sailing from Belfast to Cairnryan today will be 1430 hrs instead of 1130 and 1530 hours- Please check in by 1330 hrs to ensure you get on this sailing – if you wish to change your booking please calll 08447 70 70 70 – Sorry for any inconvenience caused”.  At present (18:00), Ferrycheck indicates that the remainder of todays sailings will operate as normal Tonights Birkenhead to Belfast sailing is delayed by up to 3 hours, whereas the Belfast-Birkenhead sailing is delayed by 60 90 minutes.  This mornings 10:30 departure for Birkenhead was delayed by some 120 minutes according to ferrycheck.  Stena Hibernia is currently on the berth at VT2, so I assume she is sailing for Birkenhead today. Stena Hibernia ... Read more
Stena ISN refits almost complete
The return of Stena Superfast VIII to service yesterday afternoon saw the completion of the 6th refit in Stena’s Irish Sea North refit schedule.  Stena Performer, Stena Mersey , Stena Lagan, Stena Hibernia, Stena  Superfast VII, and Stena Superfast VIII have all been refitted since November of last year.  Stena Precision will refit in April, meaning all 7 local vessels have been refitted in 5 months.  All of the refits have been completed by Belfast yard Harland & Wolff with the exception of Stena Lagan (which visited A&P Falmouth instead), in what is a £6 million pound investment by Stena Line. The refit of Stena Superfast VII and VIII was covered by Stena Nordica, which herself was displaced by the arrival of Stena Superfast X on the Dublin – Holyhead route.  Stena Nordica is currently laying over at D1 in Belfast having transferred her crew and stores back to Stena ... Read more
Stena Superfast X en-route to Holyhead, Stena Nordica expected in Belfast soon
The latest addition to Stena Line’s Irish Sea fleet, Stena Superfast X (ex Dieppe Seaways, Seafrance Moliere, Jean Nicoli, Superfast X), is en-route to Holyhead from the Nauta shipyard in Poland following her conversion for service between Holyhead and Dublin Port.  The sister ship to Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII is expected to arrive in Wales by Thursday morning, and has already rounded the top of Scotland.  It is expected that she will replace Stena Nordica in service before the end of next week, freeing up Stena Nordica to replace Stena Superfast VII so she can go for dry-docking at Harland & Wolff.  Once this is completed, Stena Nordica will then relieve Stena Superfast VIII, which will then proceed to Harland and Wolff.  Once Stena Superfast VIII returns to service, Stena Nordica is expected to transfer to DFDS, who plan to use her between Dover and Calais. 26th February: ... Read more
Storm Rachel sailing updates (NI)
With gusts up to 100mph expected, the following is the latest information available from the different operators websites.  As always please check with the operator for the latest info: EDIT: P&O have now cancelled all sailings to and from Cairnryan up to and including the 07:30 departure on 15/1/15 in both directions. Stena  Line Belfast-Birkenhead 10:30 ex Belfast – Delayed 22:30 ex Belfast – Cancelled 10:30 ex Birkenhead – Delayed 22:30 ex Birkenhead – Delayed by 90 minutes at time of writing Cancelled 15/1/15 10:30 ex Belfast: Running (as of 01:06) 15/1/15 10:30 ex Birkenhead:  Cancelled Belfast – Cairnryan (LRP) 19:30 ex Belfast: Cancelled 23:30: ex Belfast: Cancelled 19:30 ex Cairnryan: Cancelled 23:30: ex Cairnryan: Cancelled 15/1/15 04:00 (both directions): Cancelled 15/1/15 07:30 (both directions): In doubt.  Please contact Stena directly for latest info. P&O Larne – Cairnryan As of 16:04 (last update), all services are currently running on time All sailings in both directions on ... Read more
Stena Line dry dock update
As of last weekend, four of Stena’s Irish Sea ships should have completed overhauls: Stena Performer, Stena Mersey, Stena Lagan and Stena Hibernia. Stena Hibernia had been expected to resume service to Liverpool (Birkenhead) at 15:00hrs on Monday, but is still at Harland & Wolff. Stena Precision is currently en-route from Birkenhead to Belfast so may well swap places with Hibernia after discharging in Belfast as she is the next vessel scheduled to visit Harland & Wolff. Stena Superfast VIII and then Stena Superfast VII are expected to visit Harland & Wolff in March with Stena Nordica providing cover on the North Channel service following being displaced on the Dublin – Holyhead route by Stena Superfast X. Of 7 ships a total of 6 have been/will be handled by Harland & Wolff – Stena Lagan being the exception as she went to A&P Falmouth in December as the H&W where busy handling ... Read more