Finnarrow’s relief stint on the Irish Sea Central Corridor ended abruptly on 19 February when the 1996-built Finnlines ro-ro suffered serious hull damage while berthing at Holyhead following a crossing from Dublin Port. Finnarrow’s 77 driver/passengers and 43 crew were evacuated safely and, following inspections, the vessel was towed to the Clyde for repairs.
She was taken to the Inchgreen Dry Dock in Greenock and was the dock’s first major ship repair project in almost a decade. Finnarrow had been brought in to hold the fort while Stena Nordica was away, standing in first for Stena Europe between Fishguard and Rosslare before moving to the Belfast-Cairnryan run while Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII were dry-docked by Harland and Wolff for their annual overhaul.
