Stena Line builds new harbour in Scotland

“The harbour we are now trafficking in the Stranraer is situated very far into the Loch and it is very shallow. It cannot be dredged because of natural values that must be protected, oysters among other things”, says Gunnar Blomdahl, Stena Line MD to Shipgaz.

Stena Line has been trafficking the Stranraer–Belfast run for many years and the shallow harbour has been a restriction for some time. The new harbour has been projected for three years and now the final approval has arrived.”We have received the absolutely final approval, the Harbour Empowerment Order, which can only be granted by the Scottish parliament. It is a very big thing in Scotland that we are doing this investment in these times, a harbour is an investment for 50 or 100 years.”

Stena Line is also talking about a further EUR 100 million-investment in modern vessels, but there is nothing finalized. “We need larger vessels and with the new harbour we are not restricted to vessels with an extreme shallow draught, which is not sensible to buy or build. We will keep an eye on the market in the coming year, there is nothing to say it has to be brand new vessels. We have time to decide before the harbour is finished”, says Gunnar Blomdahl.

Source: www.shipgaz.com