Finally, a Stena Line-owned ferry has resumed operations at Fishguard Harbour on Saturday evening after a months-long absence linking Rosslare.
The route’s routine ro-pax Stena Nordica set sail for the Irish port at 1.30am on Sunday morning, marking its official return to service on the busy Wales-Ireland route.
Following an upgrade, the 170-metre Stena Nordica was introduced on the St. Georges Channel route almost three years ago, in July 2023, having replaced the veteran Stena Europe after 21 years.
With the return of the 24,000 ton ferry, it marks the end of an extended period of disruption on the southern service between Pembrokeshire and Wexford that affected both passenger and freight traffic.
It was in January when the Stena Nordica was withdrawn from its homeport of Fishguard for a scheduled dry docking maintenance period and did not return as quickly as anticipated.
Taking its place on the 3-hour-30-minute (4-hour night sailing from Fishguard) route was the chartered Ben-my-Chree from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
The charter of the smaller ro-pax could not be extended by early May, nor was the 'Nordica' able to return until last weekend for reasons further outlined by the Western Telegraph.
