2025 was another record year for Stena Line freight volumes on its three Belfast services with growth of 1.0% increasing volumes to almost 600,000 freight units shipped from Belfast to Cairnryan, Liverpool (Birkenhead) and Heysham.
The record freight volumes were set in the year Stena Line marked 30th years of operations from Belfast Harbour following its move from Larne in 1995.
Demand for freight services to and from Belfast has been increasing steadily in recent years with the Belfast-Liverpool (Birkenhead) route in particular growing in popularity as evidenced by a record number of freight units being shipped, over 270 000.
Stena Line’s Belfast to Heysham 2025 freight service also recorded its highest volumes in the last 5 years. Stena Line anticipates further significant growth on this route in the year ahead with the introduction of the newly built Stena Connecta on 23 January.
Stena Connecta will operate alongside sister ship Stena Futura which was launched onto the route in November 2025. Both ships will provide an additional 40% freight capacity when fully operational with a choice of 24 sailings per week.
Paul Grant, Stena Line Irish Sea North Trade Director, said: “The 2025 results underscore Belfast’s position as one of the most strategically important business hubs across the Stena Line network.
“These routes provide vital infrastructure linking NI and GB. Our Irish Sea business has been transformed over the last three decades through a combination of fleet and port investments along with the continued support of our customers.
“It was fitting that we were able to name and launch a new purpose-built ship, Stena Futura in Belfast Harbour in our record 2025 year, and our 30th anniversary year in Belfast Harbour.
“Stena Line continues to have a positive outlook for its Belfast services which is why we are about to introduce a second purpose-built ship Stena Connecta on our Belfast-Heysham service.”
Paul Grant added: “Stena Futura and Stena Connecta are hybrid vessels which will play a key role in developing Stena Line’s sustainability journey as they will both be able to operate on methanol fuel.
“They will also be enhanced with built in technologies that will be able to utilise both battery propulsion and shore power, when available. In addition, Stena Connecta will also be able to utilise wind power with two 28×4 metre Norsepower Rotor Sails™ that can help save up to 9% in fuel consumption.”
Stena Line is the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, with the biggest fleet providing up to 242 weekly sailings offering the widest choice of routes including: combined passenger and freight services from Belfast to Cairnryan and Liverpool, Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard, in addition to the dedicated freight-only routes from Belfast to Heysham and Dublin – Liverpool.
