CLdN is set to expand its Irish Sea services following the decision by Dublin Port Company (DPC) to grant the company with a license to use the port’s Terminal 5. The decision further expands CLdN’s capabilities in the port.
In September 2023, DPC called for proposals from interested ferry lines to service west coast English or Welsh ports out of Dublin following confirmation that P&O (which operated from Terminal 5 in Dublin Port) would exit the Dublin-Liverpool route by year end.
As a result of the decision, CLdN will move its Dublin-Heysham service operated by Seatruck Ferries to Terminal 5 in early 2024. All other Seatruck Ferries services will continue to operate from Terminal 4.
CLdN will also add a vessel to the Dublin-Liverpool route providing extra sailings and bringing the total number of daily departures to four in each direction.
Seatruck commenced services in Dublin in 2007 and is now the largest mover of ferry freight between Dublin and Great Britain.
CLdN is also increasing the size of its Liverpool terminal to deal with the continued growth as part of a new long-term agreement with port operator Peel Ports Group. The new area has space for over 300 trailers and is directly linked to the current terminal by a refurbished swing bridge.
Florent Maes, CEO of CLdN, said:
“We very much welcome this decision by Dublin Port. CLdN’s unaccompanied freight business on the Irish Sea has been growing steadily over recent years and more than 70% of all Irish Sea ferry freight now moves on an unaccompanied basis.
“The use of both Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 will enable us not only to further increase capacity but also to optimise the efficiency of our operations at the port. We look forward to growing our links with DPC as a stable and reliable partner and to further expanding our offer to customers.”
Photo = Opaline in Dublin. (Robbie Cox, courtesy of shipspotting.com)
