#MerseyAwards - At the Mersey Maritime Industry Awards Seatruck Ferries were named as ‘2017 Business of the Year’ during a ceremony held in Anfield, the famous venue of Liverpool Football Club, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The black tie gala dinner on Thursdays’ Mersey Maritime Awards (MMIA) was in the new Main Stand of Liverpool Football Club. The event attended by 400 people was hosted by BBC Breakfast T.V. presenter Louise Minchin.

Mersey Maritime is the representative body for the maritime sector in which there are more than 1,250 businesses based in the North West of England. The MMIA’s recognised the excellence and diversity that exists across all sectors of the maritime cluster of this region.

Seatruck CEO Alistair Eagles commented: "This is another great accolade for Seatruck Ferries, who are now the most frequent commercial shipping service on the Mersey. Our Liverpool Dublin service was the fastest growing service on the entire Irish Sea in 2016. Well done each and every one of you."

In total there were 12 winners on the night. Categories of the MMIA’s ranged from Best Newcomer to Business of the Year Award. In just under a decade of serving Liverpool-Dublin, Seatruck has gone from being the new kids on the 'lock’ to consolidating its position as the most frequent commercial shipping service on the Mersey.

The service from Liverpool’s locks (based out of Brocklebank Dock) to Dublin Port is from where Seatruck also operate a route from the Irish capital to Heysham. The UK port in Lancashire is also connected with a service to Warrenpoint. The Northern Ireland route first established Seatruck Ferries operations that began in 1996.

A network of three Seatruck routes are served by seven ro-ro freighters that carry in the majority unaccompanied freight trailers. There is limited accommodation for freight drivers in addition to private motorists, though availability on the ‘no-frill’ service is restricted.