#FinalLink – The final chapter of Stena Line’s history with Dun Laoghaire Harbour was marked this morning when a barge used to dismantle the former HSS berth departed under tow, writes Jehan Ashmore.
MTS Indus towed the barge SB-5018 that was used in the harbour as a floating platform. The red-hulled barge was moored next to the ferry terminal linkspan at Berth No. 5 on St. Micheals Pier.
The specialist custom built linkspan for berthing operations of HSS Stena Explorer lasted for almost two decades of the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead route that closed two years ago this month. The loss-making route led Stena to consolidate existing operations out of neighbouring Dublin Port on a route also to the north Wales port.
Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company are looking for a new operator to restore the seasonal service next year, but using the adjacent Berth No. 4 alongside St. Micheals Pier. This linkspan was last used in 2011 by a smaller fast-ferry, Stena Lynx III.
Originally the plan was to tow the Stena HSS linkspan away from the port, by placing on board the barge, however the breakers torch was used instead on site at the ferry terminal.
This is where the Swedish registered barge also acted as a support to the specialist linkspan (see yesterday’s report photo) from where the tug departed and is under way ironically bound for Holyhead. The port in Anglesey is operated by the Swedish owned ferry operator whose headquarters are based in Gothenburg.
Dismantling work by the contractors in Dun Laoghaire had begun earlier this summer to remove all Stena owned berth infrastructure at the site of the purpose built ferry terminal. This paved the way for the introduction of the revolutionary HSS Stena Explorer fast-ferry catamaran craft in 1996.
Asides the linkspan, gone are now the passenger gangways and associated equipment at No 5 berth. The concrete supporting columns of the gangway however remain as well as the jetty and associated dolphin structure.
Not all the dismantling work was carried out on the barge. Other parts were broken up onshore from where vehicles from the HSS Stena Explorer used to disembark or arrive at the marshalling area. It was from here that awaiting trucks were loaded to be disposed by scrap merchants.