FERRY company Stena Line has started work on a £5 million refit programme of its local ferry fleet at Belfast’s Harland & Wolff shipyard.
The 10-week upgrade schedule will see five Stena vessels dry docked consecutively to facilitate refurbishment and maintenance works.
The move continues the carrier's long-standing relationship with H&W, and will represent a considerable boost to the supply chain.
Stena's Irish Sea trade director Paul Grant said: “Regular refits are an important element in our ship management operation which helps to maintain our excellent reliability and keeps our fleet to the forefront of the ferry sector.
"We’re pleased to continue working with Harland and Wolff to carry out these important upgrades, helping to secure the local maritime skills base in Northern Ireland.”
Harland and Wolff chief executive Jonathan Guest said: "We are delighted to welcome back five of Stena Line’s Irish Sea vessels. Our working partnership with the company is important not only to us, but to the local economy through its associated supply chain."
Stena Line - whose routes include Belfast to Liverpool, Heysham and Cairnryan - has already committed a significant investment to introducing three new ships to the Irish Sea starting early next year.
