Stena Line has accelerated its plans to add an extra freight-only vessel to its Rosslare to Cherbourg route, revealing that it will have two ships departing direct to France from tomorrow (Tuesday, December 22).
The shipping firm confirmed the news in a tweet this morning, stating: “Update for Irish Sea freight customers.
“The Stena Foreteller is being moved into position to commence on the Rosslare to Cherbourg route. We will now have two ships departing tomorrow direct to France.
Update for Irish Sea freight customers: the Stena Foreteller is being moved into position to commence on the Rosslare to Cherbourg route. We will now have two ships departing tomorrow direct to France. Please contact our freight team for bookings. https://t.co/UJKkQHQTzs pic.twitter.com/UG9LIOpMRd
— Stena Line Group (@StenaLine) December 21, 2020
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“Please contact our freight team for bookings,” the tweet concluded.
The Stena Foreteller will join the Stena Horizon which already operates on the route, doubling the freight capacity as well as the frequency of sailings between Ireland and the continent.
The Foreteller had been due to take up the Cherbourg route from Monday, January 4, 2021, but has been brought forward due to the travel bans issued by France and other countries on shipments from Britain following the emergence of a new strain of Covid-19 in the southeast of England.
France could allow UK shipments to resume ‘in coming hours’
After closing its border to freight from the UK yesterday, France could be ready to lift this restriction later today, however.
French Minister for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari revealed in a tweet earlier today that a health protocol will be put in place “in the coming hours” to allow shipments from the UK to resume to France.
Dans les prochaines heures, au niveau européen, nous allons mettre en place un protocole sanitaire solide pour que les flux depuis le Royaume-Uni puissent reprendre. Notre priorité : protéger nos ressortissants et nos concitoyens.
— Jean-Baptiste Djebbari (@Djebbari_JB) December 21, 2020
“In the coming hours, at European level, we will be putting in place a solid health protocol so that flows from the UK can resume. Our priority: Protect our nationals and fellow citizens,” Minister Djebbari said.