Mersey Docks and Harbour Company is planning to introduce a new freight and passenger service between Dublin and Liverpool, and has also submitted a joint venture bid with Irish Continental Group for the Bell Lines terminal in Rotterdam.
Details of Mersey's plans for a new Irish Sea route were revealed with the group's half-year results which showed a £1.6 million sterling profit on Mersey's Irish Sea operations, which are conducted through Coastal Container Line and BG Freight.
As part of a deal, which sees Mersey sell its 50 per cent stake in Cenargo International, Mersey's Merchant Ferries subsidiary is to begin a Dublin-Liverpool freight and passenger service, using two new Ropax vessels, in 1998.
Mersey's £1.6 million profit came from sales of £29 million and compared with an profit of £886,000 on sales of £14.2 million in the first half of 1996.
Since the end of June, Mersey's BG Freight subsidiary has begun a weekly container service between the former Bell terminal in Dublin and Rotterdam. A second Waterford-Rotterdam sailing a week is planned for the autumn. In addition, the Coastal Container subsidiary has recently begun a twice weekly container service between Waterford and Cardiff.
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