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Stena Line is 'Best Ferry Company' at N.I. Travel & Tourism Awards

14th October 2026
At the NI Travel Awards, Stena Line’s Travel Commercial Manager Orla Noonan (centre) picks up the award for Best Ferry Company in 2026.
At the NI Travel Awards, Stena Line’s Travel Commercial Manager Orla Noonan (centre) picks up the award for Best Ferry Company in 2026.

Stena Line recently was awarded the accolade of Best Ferry Company at the 34th North Ireland Travel & Tourism Awards. 

Representatives from every sector of the Northern Ireland travel industry attended the high-profile event hosted by comedian and BBC presenter Paddy Raff, at which the ferry operator was named Best Ferry Company.

The awards on 9 October were held at the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, Co. Down. 

Although Stena Line has now picked up the prestigious award thirty-three times, as Travel Commercial Manager Orla Noonan, nothing is taken for granted. She said:“The NI Travel & Tourism awards recognise the best each sector has to offer in any given year, and we are delighted once again to be named Best Ferry Company.

Providing a year-round multi-route service from our Belfast Harbour hub requires a dedicated team onboard and ashore. We continue to invest in our people, fleet, and customer facilities, and to be recognised once again as these prestigious awards are a cherished experience and certainly one we do not take for granted. It is also a wonderful recognition of the commitment and passion our teams show every day, and we are incredibly grateful to the Northern Ireland travel trade for their continued support.”

The Northern Ireland Travel & Tourism Awards are the leading awards programme recognising excellence across the travel and tourism industry.

The awards honour the achievements of travel agents, tourism organisations, airlines, cruise and ferry operators, hotels, and visitor attractions that have demonstrated exceptional service, innovation, and commitment to the sector.

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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About Stena Line

Stena Line is one of Europe's leading ferry companies with 37 vessels and 17 routes in Northern Europe operating 25,000 sailings each year. Stena Line is an important part of the European logistics network and develops new intermodal freight solutions by combining transport by rail, road and sea. Stena Line also plays an important role for tourism in Europe with its extensive passenger operations. The company is family-owned, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Gothenburg. Stena Line has 4,300 employees and an annual turnover of 14 billion SEK.