N e w s Stena Line officially commences Dublin-Liverpool freight route The first sailing on the new service left Dublin Port’s Terminal 5 on february 21 th at 6:30am. The return service will operate daily from Dublin in the morning, making the evening return journey from 12 Quays terminal in Birkenhead. The addition of the new service will be Stena Line’s seventh route in the Irish Sea region complementing its Belfast – Cairnryan, Belfast – Heysham, Belfast – Liverpool, Dublin – Holyhead, Rosslare – Fishguard and Rosslare – Cherbourg services. With Stena Horizon temporarily ope- rating on the new Dublin- Liverpool e n i L a n e t S : e g a m I route, the company is currently as- sessing ship deployment options for a permanent freight-only vessel. The new service will provide freight customers on both sides of the Irish Sea with even more choice when it comes to securing an efficient and reliable connection between Ireland and Britain. Niclas Mårtensson, CEO, Stena Line said: “We are excited to launch our much-anticipated new freight route between Dublin and Liverpool, secu- ring a key trading route across the Irish Sea. With two services now operating from both Dublin Port and 12 Quays in Birkenhead, we’re expanding our operational hubs in both ports creating more effici- encies for our customers. Currently, we have deplo- yed the Stena Horizon temporarily, but we hope to be able to confirm a permanent solution soon that will help to maximise freight capacity and boost trade volumes.” Niclas Mårtensson, CEo at Stena Line Delivery of the CMA CGM MERMAID The CMA CGM Group, a global player in maritime, land, air, and logistics solutions, takes delivery of the CMA CGM MERMAID, the first ship in a series of 10 new 2,000 TEU container ships powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which will be progressively deployed in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. These new container ships, with an original design aimed at improving their energy efficiency and environ- mental performance, will join the CMA CGM fleet of around 620 ves- sels, including more than 30 already powered by alternative energies. These ships will emit up to -20% CO2 compared to a similar-sized ship with a conventional maritime fuel design (very low sulfur oil). This delivery is part of CMA CGM's fleet renewal program, in which the Group has invested more than $15 billion. It brings the Group one step closer to meeting its objective of Net Zero Carbon by 2050. By 2028, nearly 120 ships will be powered by low-carbon energies. WEC LINES enters the refrigerated container market The carrier says the demand for reefer containers has been rising steadily across various industries, including food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare, driven by the need for reliable and secure transport of temperature-sensitive goods. According to the projections published in Drewry’s 2023 Reefer Shipping Forecaster, container carriers will see their carryings of reefer containers rise with 4% a year between 2023–2028 as the perishables trade proves more resilient to economic downturns. The new 45ft refrigerated containers are all equipped with a state-of-the-art (electric) cooling system to maintain precise temperature control within a range from -30ºC to +30ºC, ensuring the integrity of tem- perature sensitive or perishable cargo throughout the transportation process such as fruit and vegetables, fresh or processed food, pharma, and dairy products. s e n i L C E W : e g a m I 36 Ausgabe 1-2024