Stena Line is to invest €16 million in the ongoing refit and upgrades of its Irish Sea fleet, the company said on Wednesday.
The group’s Irish Sea fleet comprises 11 vessels operating on crossings from Belfast to Cairnryan, Birkenhead (Liverpool) and Heysham; Dublin to Birkenhead and Holyhead; as well as Rosslare to Fishguard.
Stena Line said the investment would enable a “wide range of enhancements and modernisation” across the fleet.
These include extensive cabin improvements; an increased number of pet-friendly cabins; enhanced Stena Plus lounges; and upgraded family entertainment areas.
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Stena Line’s Irish Sea fleet manager, Mark Scouler, said: “This investment demonstrates our dedication to delivering the highest standards of safety, efficiency, comfort and reliability for our customers.
“By upgrading and modernising our vessels, we ensure that Stena Line remains the leader for the Irish Sea freight and travel market. We continually seek to invest in our vessels and provide a premium sustainable service for all our customers.”
Stena Line commercial travel manager Orla Noonan said the company was “acting on feedback” in delivering the enhancements.
The Irish Sea was described by Stena Line chief executive Niclas Mårtensson as “the most important sea for Stena Line” late last year.
“It is where we have the majority of our investments over the past number of years, and it is the biggest region for us in terms of numbers,” he said. “Fifty per cent of our revenue is to and from the UK.
“To be honest, maybe we should have our headquarters in Dublin instead, because that’s how important it is. This has been quite a turbulent year for us. We have taken away and we have added in the Irish Sea.”
Stena Line own ports in Scotland and Wales, and Martensson said he was keen to add Dublin to that list. “While we don’t own a port in Ireland, we are trying to sign a long-term contract so we can be there for many years, and preferably operate the port as well.”
Mårtensson axed Stena Line’s Rosslare-Cherbourg service last year, and has not held back in his criticism of the road network between Dublin and the Wexford facility.
“Once you are in the port, the infrastructure is good but it takes a while to get there,” he said. “The scenery is fantastic but that is not what our hauliers are asking for. Even from a safety perspective, improvements would be very much welcome in and around Rosslare.
“It’s the road itself that needs to be improved. It needs to be widened. We are driving through all these small villages which are not meant to have these heavy trucks passing through them. I’m thinking about the people in the villages as well.”
