Stena Line considering massive new Scottish terminal

Stena Line is expected to confirm its plan to build a massive ferry terminal on Scotland’s western coast.

The announcement of the new development project could follow the Swedish ferry operator’s board meeting, which is scheduled toward the end of the coming week.

Currently, the speculation about the announcement is focussed on moving the terminal from Stranraer to a new, purpose-built terminal to handle larger ferries and the anticipated growth in passenger and freight traffic over the next 15-20 years.

In May, Stena opened a new terminal in Belfast at a cost of £37 million, and is gearing up to make an even heftier investment on the Scottish side, where 1.2 million passengers are handled annually.

The ferry operator has taken a long-term view in the development of infrastructure and ferry services for both passengers and freight.

Although ferry passenger numbers for Irish Sea crossings for the year ending in August declined by six per cent for passengers and cars and by three per cent for coaches, the operator still transported 1.8 million passengers, nearly 500,000 cars and 11,000 coaches during that period.

Stena Line believes that the increasing worsening experience of passengers at airports and the backlash against all the hidden fees and charges imposed by airlines – even on low-cost carriers – will boost ferry traffic numbers over time.

www.stenaline.co.uk