Seatruck poised to launch new ferries

Seatruck Ferries, freight-only specialists on the Irish Sea route and part of the Clipper Group, are about to introduce a major increase in capacity for the link between Heysham and Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland.

Four state-of-the-art newbuildings are to be delivered by Spanish shipbuilders Astilleros de Huelva over the coming 12 months. Seatruck has now decided that the fourth vessel in the series will also be a 142 metre ?Heysham Max? ship.

The first of the new ships ? offering double the capacity of the existing vessels ? will be the ?Clipper Point? scheduled to enter service in July, followed by ?Clipper Pace? in November and ?Clipper Pennant? and ?Clipper Panorama? in January and March 2008 respectively.

Seatruck Commercial Director Alistair Eagles says: “Clipper Point will be by far the largest and most powerful ferry to operate from Heysham. Each of the new ships can carry over 120 units and will have a service speed of 22 knots cutting the crossing time from nine hours to 6.5 hours. We have now decided to amend the specification for the fourth of the new vessels, bringing her into line as a Heysham Max vessel, of a size ideal for operations at that port.”

“Furthermore, we are actively considering options for further newbuilding orders with a similar specification or a larger class, with a carrying capacity of 140 units, but also with a 22 knot service speed.”

Clipper Group?s strong support for Seatruck has been a decisive factor in the freight ferry operator?s rapid development. Seatruck CEO Kevin Hobbs adds: “Our intention is to continue to reinforce our close relationships with core customers and maintain a reputation as a friendly company with the advantage of substantial corporate backing. With the entry into service of the newbuildings, we are working closely with the port authorities to explore opportunities to ensure that the benefits of the new vessels are fully exploited.”