A new superferry which will double the capacity of its predecessor at Holyhead port has started its voyage from Korea to the Irish Sea. The Stena Adventurer has been built in the Far East by Hyundai Heavy Industries and is due to start operating on the Holyhead to Dublin route in July.
It left Korea on its 10,000 mile journey on Monday and will pass through Singapore, Suez, Port Said and Malta before arriving in Dublin on 16 June.
Port operators Stena Line say the Adventurer will replace the existing Stena Forwarder, increasing passenger capacity on the route by 50%.
The vessel will be able to carry 1,500 passengers.
 We have decided to introduce this larger RoPax vessel to meet the growing demands of the tourism and freight markets  |
At 211 metres it will also be the longest vessel ever to operate on the Holyhead to Dublin route and improvements are being made at both terminals to accommodate it.
However, the Adventurer's capacity will not top that of rival company Irish Ferries' newest vessel on the route.
The Ulysses can carry 2,000 passengers and was launched in 2000 to accompany the Dublin Swift fast ferry, which has room for 800 passengers.
Stena Line's decision to introduce its bigger capacity ferry follows an investment of up to �12.3m in the Anglesey port.
The development is partly funded by Objective One money from the European Union.
The superferry's arrival also coincides the local authority's wider improvement scheme to boost the town's economy.
Anglesey county council is investing heavily in the town centre by carrying out a restructuring of the road network to encourage ferry passengers to visit.
A street market has also been reintroduced in Holyhead after an absence of more than 100 years.
Tremendous growth
In addition, shops and businesses are being encouraged to embrace the euro to maximise the economic benefits from the 2.4 million passengers who pass through the port each year.
Vic Goodwin, route director for Stena Line services, said the company had seen tremendous growth on the Holyhead - Dublin route after the Stena Forwarder was brought into service.
"We have decided to introduce this larger RoPax vessel to meet the growing demands of the tourism and freight markets," he said.
"The Stena Adventurer will operate in tandem with the HSS Stena Explorer, the world's largest fast ferry, which carries both tourism and heavy freight traffic."
A launching ceremony to welcome the vessel and open the new berth in Holyhead will be held on 1 July
.
One-Minute World News 
News services
Email this to a friend 
Printable version 
