#FarewellHSS- As the sun shone down on Holyhead dozens of people lined the breakwater yesterday to say farewell to Stena Line’s HSS Explorer, reports the Daily Post.

The fast ferry set sail from the port for the last time after she was sold to a Turkish company.

As previously reported, she was due to leave on Thursday however it’s departure was postponed because of wet and windy weather conditions.

Ian Davies, Stena Line’s Route Manager (Irish Sea South), said: “It is an emotional day for all of us at Stena Line who have worked on the vessel and the route in support of the Stena Explorer over the last number of years.

“We are delighted to see that she will continue her working career in another part of the world and would like to take this opportunity to wish her new owners every success with what is a very special vessel.”

HSS Explorer will be escorted to Turkey by tug boats before starting a new chapter in her operational life. To read more on the historic departure of the HSS, click here.

Afloat.ie adds that final surviving HSS craft has been laid-up in Holyhead since September of 2014 following a decision by Stena to withdraw the highspeed sea service.

Stena continued central Irish Sea corridoor operations on their existing Dublin Port to Holyhead route and consolidated services with the introduction of Stena Superfast X in March of this year. The conventional ferry joined Stena Adventurer which has been in service for more than a decade.