P&O Irish Sea is celebrating 30 years of service on it’s Larne-Cairnryan route as 10th July marks the date the Ionic Ferry set sail from Cairnryan bound for Larne for the first time ever.
And 30 years on, the Larne-Cairnryan crossing is one of P&O’s mainstay routes, going from strength to strength. From it’s humble beginnings, of just one ship with a capacity of 30 units and 53 passengers and two round trips per day, the route now boasts a three-ship operation with a combined capacity of 1620 passengers and 1550 vehicles and a schedule of up to 18 daily crossings.
Ongoing investment by the ferry company has ensured the success of the route with the introduction of new ships and improved port facilities. In 1996, the record-breaking one-hour crossing was established, a service which has never been matched or beaten. Since 2000, two brand new ships, purpose-built for the Larne-Cairnryan route, have been introduced. European Causeway and her sister ship, European Highlander offer a superb onboard service with a first-class reliability record.
Graham McCullough, General Manager, Scottish Routes, comments: “Our Larne-Cairnryan service is renowned for the short sea crossings, the frequency of sailings and most importantly, the reliability of our vessels which combine to make this route the first choice for both freight and tourist customers. We are market leader with freight customers and are significantly growing our tourist market year on year.”
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P&O’s port facilities at Cairnryan are earmarked for major development over the next couple of years with the announcement that Stena plan to transfer their Stranraer operation to Cairnryan to operate alongside P&O Irish Sea’s Cairnryan-Larne service. However, P&O Irish Sea continue to call on government to invest in the roads leading to and from the ports and highlighted this issue to Conservative Party Chairman, Teresa May during her recent visit to the port.
Mr McCullough adds: “The success of our service is dependent on the infrastructure to and from our ports. The A8, the Larne-Belfast link, is currently undergoing major works which will vastly improve access to our Port in Larne. While some plans have been announced for work on the A75 and A77, more needs to be done. We were delighted to welcome the Conservative Party Chairman to Cairnryan last week during which we advised her of the major developments planned for the port and the subsequent need for improved infrastructure.”
Thirty years on since the Ionic Ferry set sail, P&O Irish Sea’s Larne-Cairnryan continues to get bigger, better and more successful and looks forward to the next 30 years.