#FreightGrowth - In the first three months of 2017, Stena Line has carried over 31,000 freight units on the Belfast-Heysham service making it one of the most successful starts to the year since it acquired the business back in 2011. The operator has reported a strong 9% year on year Q1 increase in its freight volumes on the service.

Anna Breen, Stena Line’s Freight Commercial Manager (Irish Sea North) said: “Despite high levels of uncertainty across the wider economic community, a 9% first quarter increase in our freight volumes indicates that business confidence remains robust. There are a number of factors underpinning the success of our Belfast-Heysham service including record new car sales levels in Northern Ireland, a large proportion of which are transported on this route.”

“Also, we are now starting to see the benefits of a positive impact on traffic flows from the new M6 Link Road to Heysham which opened last November. These factors combined with a highly reliable service which offers over 22 sailing options per week for both accompanied and unaccompanied freight units provide an increasingly attractive service for the road haulage industry.”