European operator Stena Line, including the Irish Sea, has announced with Associated British Ports (ABP) their intention to proceed with a £200+ million joint investment in a new North Sea freight ferry terminal.
The announcement for the North-East of England port of Immingham with its route to The Netherlands follows an approval of the Development Consent Order (DCO) planning application by the UK Government.
In a major step forward for the project, this means that construction can officially begin on the new RoRo ferry terminal. Following the approval, the project was featured this week at the UK Government’s showcase International Investment Summit; see related coverage.
In 2022, Stena Line and ABP signed an agreement that will see the ferry company operate the new terminal for the next 50 years. This long-term commitment will provide a boost to the North-East of England, where the unaccompanied freight market has been steadily growing on the route. Afloat highlights the service is operated by twins Feronia Sea and Jutlandia Sea, each with a capacity for 3,332 freight lane metres.
Located in Lincolnshire, Immingham is becoming a strategic hub for the company, which currently runs two daily services from the Humber region to Rotterdam. Stena, the Swedish based group that owns Stena Line, also recently became the sole owner of the transport and logistics business, NTEX, which has its UK headquarters in the area.
With customer demand continuing to grow for the company in the region, Stena Line requires additional capacity to expand its operations at Immingham.
The new RoRo terminal is a long-term solution in a new location that provides access to the main Humber Estuary, allowing for quicker sailing times and the option to use larger vessels to cater for increased freight demand from exporters and importers from across the region and the rest of the UK.
Stena Line is one of the largest ferry operators in the world, with 20 routes, and 40 vessels operating in Northern Europe and, as of this year entered the Mediterranean market; see Afloat’s related Rosslare story.
