Steam Packet urges Centrica to change wind farm plans

Thu, 05 Apr 2012

The proposed site of the wind farm

The Steam Packet Company is urging Centrica to rethink plans to build a wind farm in the Irish Sea which would affect both the Liverpool and Heysham routes.

The ferry operator says the future of the Liverpool route would be threatened, TT services reduced by around 15% and cancellations increased if the location of the farm isn't altered.

The energy company calculates that 3 minutes would be added to the Heysham route and 7 to the Liverpool crossing, or 15 minutes for a conventional ferry like the Ben my Chree.

The Steam Packet says this would make it physically impossible to operate the Ben's Birkenhead services in the winter.

Packet bosses are now calling for Centrica to develop around the existing shipping routes, something they say was promised 18 months ago.

The proposed farm would be 20 kilometres off the Island's coast.