The capacity for the shipping of livestock from Rosslare Port has been reduced after Stena Line changed the ship that normally serves the route between there and Cherbourg.
Stena Line has moved the Stena Estrid onto the Rosslare-Cherbourg route, saying that, as a larger ship, she will cater for the increased demand (of all cargo) on the direct route to France due to Brexit.
Meanwhile, the Stena Horizon, which normally serves Rosslare-Cherbourg, has been moved to the Dublin-Cherbourg route, departing Dublin on Saturdays.
The Stena Estrid will depart Cherbourg three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) for a weekly livestock lorry capacity of 15.
Between the Stena Estrid and the Stena Horizon sailing from Dublin, Stena Line currently has capacity for 37 livestock units per week on routes to Cherbourg.
A spokesperson for the company said that 37 livestock loads is “enough to cover demand at this time of year”.
However, the spokesperson also said that “if needed”, another ship on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route, the Stena Foreteller (a cargo-only ship) can also carry livestock. The Foreteller currently departs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays.
Meanwhile, the Stena Embla, which Stena announced last month, would be moved to the Rosslare-Cherbourg route to cater for demand, has now been moved back to its original route of Belfast-Liverpool, according to Stena Line timetables.