Ferry company, Stena Line has signed a significant deal with a major UK port operator, the Peel Ports Group to operate from Heysham Port, England for the next 77-years until 2100.

A twice daily freight service is run on the Belfast-Heysham route providing a vital trade corridor between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

The collaborative agreement demonstrates the strong working partnership between the two organisations and seeks to further strengthen their long-term relationship. The news follows last week’s announcement by Stena of a new freight service on the Dublin-Birkenhead (Liverpool) route which is due to start in February.

The new freight service will use the 12 Quays Terminal at Birkenhead from where Stena operate an existing passenger/freight route to Belfast. Earlier this year, Stena Line and Peel Ports signed a similar agreement for the 12 Quays Terminal to operate from the Port until the end of the century.

This year, Stena Line announced it is making a multi-million-pound investment in the Belfast-Heysham route with two new-build state-of-the-art ‘NewMax’ ferries, which will boost freight capacity by 80%. The first vessel due to begin on the route in 2025, these hybrid ferries will be equipped to operate on methanol fuel marking a key milestone in Stena Line’s roadmap to sustainable shipping.

Peel Ports, working collaboratively with Stena Line, plans to invest in new terminal management and a ‘smart gate’ automatic check-in system to improve customer experience at the port, and will increase the parking for trailers to accommodate the additional capacity of the new vessels.

In addition, the parties will aim to secure the shore infrastructure to provide additional electrical capacity to facilitate the future goal of powering the new ships by green shore power. This will be a further step in a long-term ambition to establish a green shipping corridor.

Niclas Martensson, CEO of Stena Line says, “Our business on our Belfast-Heysham route has thrived in recent years and is a vital connection for freight transport across the Irish Sea. With the upcoming introduction of our NewMax hybrid ships, this route represents a unique opportunity for Stena Line to offer our freight customers more sustainable transport between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and will be a key milestone in our sustainability journey.”

Carl-Johan Hellner, Chief Operating Officer Ports & Terminals, Stena Line adds, “Following our signing of the Birkenhead 12 Quays deal earlier this year, this agreement reenforces our long-term commitment to Peel Ports Group and further strengthens our partnership. Heysham is an important hub for our Irish Sea business and we’ve been developing our operations here year on year. We’re excited for the future of the route and to building on its current success.”

David Huck, Chief Operating Officer at Peel Ports Group says, “We have been collaborating successfully with Stena Line for many years and it’s fantastic to establish another long-term agreement with the business.”

“This deal reaffirms our promise to continue developing and maintaining services across the Irish sea, while also showcasing our ongoing investment into our Heysham operation. We’re confident the route will continue to prove hugely successful for many decades to come.”

The value of the deal has not been disclosed.