MV ''Portaferry II'' is a passenger and car ferry operated by

Transport NI Department for Infrastructure Roads or DfI Roads (formerly Transport NI, and the Roads Service) is the public body responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of highways and roads in Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom. It is an executive ...

. This ferry serves the Portaferry–Strangford ferry route across the mouth of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, a service which has been in operation since the 12th century.

History

After years of service, MV ''Strangford Ferry'', which was launched on 6 September 1969, began to show signs of age. A second, smaller ship, MV ''Portaferry Ferry'', also operating on the Portaferry - Strangford route, had insufficient capacity to take over full service for route, so a new ship was needed. This new vessel was the ''Portaferry II'', built by McTay Marine of Merseyside, at a cost of a £2.7 million. She entered service on 18 December 2001, replacing the aging MV ''Portaferry Ferry'' and relegated the MV ''Strangford Ferry'', to a support role.

Details

The ''Portaferry II'' has a gross tonnage of 312 tons, a hull length of , a beam of , a draught of and a capacity of 260 passengers and 20 cars. She is propelled by a pair of Voith Schneider propellers, driven by diesel engines, and is registered in Belfast. Like her predecessors, due to the short travel time the only onboard facilities are a passenger waiting area and a gangway on one side of the ship with benches and placards to inform readers of the lough's wildlife.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Portaferry Ferries of Northern Ireland 2001 ships Ro-ro ships Ships built in England