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Displaying items by tag: New £10m roro ramp

#FerryNews - Heysham Port in recent weeks has had a new ro-ro ramp linkspan installed bringing to three berthing facilities serving the growing Irish Sea trade through the Lancashire port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The £10m investment by the Peel Ports operated harbour has created a dedicated loading berth and allows a much greater schedule reliability for chief customer Seatruck Ferries and Stena Line.

The ramp linkspan constructed in the Netherlands was towed to the port. At close to 100m long, the ramp is designed to deal with the large 10m rise and fall in tide that is experienced at Heysham.

Seatruck has routes to Warrenpoint, Co. Down and Dublin Port. A twice daily service is operated to Warrenpoint and single sailing to the Irish capital. Together three freight-ferries operate these routes. They are Seatruck Panorama, Clipper Pennant and Seatruck Pace which alone serves the Dublin route.

Rivals, Stena Line operate to Belfast Port, using chartered tonnage from Seatruck. The ro-ro freight ferry on this second of the Heysham-Northern Ireland routes is served by Stena Performer. 

According to Seatruck, the funding in Heysham Port, will also see a new pontoon built to support offshore crew transfer vessels. In addition the construction of a new port entrance and various improvements to the port IT and terminal operating systems.

A third port user, Isle of Man Steam Packet operate a passenger and freight service to Douglas. This year-round route is the main service link between the UK and the island.

Published in Ferry

About Foyle Port

Foyle Port, located in the North West region of Northern Ireland, is estimated to handle around 2 million tonnes of cargo per year, with a trade value of approximately £1 billion. The port plays a crucial role in facilitating the import of essential agri-products, supporting around 20,000 farms in the region, as well as various local business sectors such as fuel/oil and construction industries. The organisation supports an estimated 1000 direct and indirect jobs.

Originally located in the bustling heart of Derry City, the Commissioners relocated the port to its current deep-water location at Lisahally in 1993. The terminal boasts an impressive 440 metres of quay and can accommodate large vessels of up to 62,000 DWT. Foyle Port is primarily a bulk port and a significant importer of essential commodities such as oil, coal, animal feed, fertiliser, and plywood, all of which are vital for the North West rural region.

Since 2003, the organisation has experienced significant growth, doubling both turnover and profit and attracting approximately £100 million of inward investment to the region. This investment has supported projects, including a fertiliser plant, an oil tank farm, and a biomass power station.

Established by Act of Parliament in 1854, the Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners is an independent statutory authority with a duty to develop, maintain and operate to the highest standards of efficiency, financial prudence, environmental awareness, safety, and security. The Port is independent of the Government and is self-financing. All financial surpluses are reinvested in the business for the benefit of future generations of stakeholders.