#ArrowAway - Afloat has tracked down relief freight ro-ro Arrow which had been wintering in the Port of Larne but is currently operating UK-Dutch routes having been sub-chartered by the Isle of Man Steam Packet, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Arrow is owned by Seatruck Ferries but since 2014 has been on long-term charter to the Manx operator. This arrangement is to provide back-up support to ropax Ben-My-Chree when required. As for fast-ferry Manannan see related Larne coverage.

Stena Line have chartered the Arrow for services on the North Sea during dry-docking period of one of their largest UK serving ships. The giant 63,600 tonnes cruiseferry Stena Hollandica normally operates Harwich-Hoek van Holland route but is receiving work in Rotterdam's Schiedam district.

The southern North Sea route is also served by sister, Stena Britannica which can accommodate 1,200 passengers.

In comparison to the Stena Hollandica which can take 300 trucks, Stena announced the charter of a ‘small’ replacement vessel, in which Afloat can confirm is Arrow with its 84 truck capacity. Asides Harwich-Hook van Holland, Stena operates the following freight only North Sea routes of Killingholme-Hoek van Holland and Killingholme-Rotterdam (Europoort).

Stena added that on certain sailings (by Arrow) this may cause some constraints in terms of lane-meters and drivers capacity. As previously covered on Afloat, Stena last Autumn provided additional freight capacity, giving Irish hauliers more options on the ‘Landbridge’ routes to the Netherlands. This saw the Caroline Russ chartered to the operator and join Stena Scotia, a former Irish Sea freight-ferry.

Stena Scotia was introduced on the route the previous Autumn of 2014 as a complement to a pair of much larger ro-ro freighters, Stena Transit and Stena Transporter on the Hoek van Holland – Killingholme route.

Killingholme, Lincolnshire is a port located on the Humber estuary, further north of Harwich. Likewise of the Essex port this is a busy North Sea freight hub. On the opposite side of the estuary is Hull, again another major port but with passengers / freight services operated by P&O Ferries serving the Netherlands and Belgium.