New Sealink ro-ro planned to sail soon
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A NEW freight-only service is to be started by Sealink British Ferries on the Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire route.
This week the company said that there is now insufficient freight space on the combined passenger/ freight ferry sailing on this route. The company has been working on arrangements to charter an additional freightonly ro-ro ship and this will be going into service as soon as possible.
This is part of Sealink British Ferries' drive to increase the freight side of its operations. Freight revenue currently accounts for 43 per cent of its income and chief executive of the Sealink Freight Division, Frank Oloban, has said that freight could ultimately topple passenger traffic as the largest source of revenue.
Since acquiring the Sealink operation last summer from British Rail, the new owner Sea Containers has turned it from a loss-maker to a profitearner.
• Both Sealink British Ferries and Brittany Ferries are bidding to take over Truckline Ferries, the company that operates the ro-ro freightonly service on the PooleCherbourg route.
Offers from both ferry companies are currently being considered by Truckline's French owners.