#AwardResults - Seatruck Ferries, the Irish Sea's only operator dedicated to unaccompanied ro-ro freight, was last night piped by the post in a category at the Lloyds List Global Awards, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The ‘Company of the Year’ award went to French container operator CMA CGM. However, Seatruck were 'Highly Commended' by the judges at the event regarded as the 'Oscars' of the worldwide shipping industry.

Seatruck part of the Danish owned Clipper Group, this year celebrated its 20th anniversary. The freight ro-ro operator has a network of three routes: Dublin-Liverpool, Dublin-Heysham and Warrenpoint-Heysham and as reported only this month launched a new Dublin-Bristol route.

The Port of Bristol is a major hub for UK car imports and the new route provides manufacturers an alternative option to enter the Irish marketplace.

Afloat.ie has identified Portbury as the location used as part of the Port of Bristol that also operates Avonmouth. The vessel deployed can also be revealed as the Clipper Ranger (165 unit capacity) which operates the new service with a weekend round trip. Otherwise the ‘R’ class ro-ro would be left idle in between serving routine Dublin-Heysham sailings.