Work has begun this week on a major project to provide new facilities at the Port of Cairnryan.

The development will support P&O Ferries, which owns the port, in its ferry operations across the Irish Sea.

McLaughlin & Harvey have been appointed to undertake the contract, which will see the firm provide a new roll-on/roll-off linkspan at the port.

This replacement floating ramp structure will be used by the freight and tourist vehicles that are shipping with the company’s services to and from Larne in Northern Ireland.

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The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

James Esler, manager for P&O Ferries’ Scottish services, said: "The ferry crossing between Cairnryan and Larne is the shortest anywhere on the Irish Sea and is very popular with both our freight and tourist passengers. This investment will improve our product still further for the long term"

Keith Millar, managing director of the Port of Larne, said: "This is great news, not just for the Scottish end of the route but also for Larne and Northern Ireland.

"This project is clear evidence of P&O Ferries’ continued commitment to the ferry service between Cairnryan and Larne."

In Northern Ireland, work is already under way to improve the A8 road and provide a dual-carriageway link from the Port of Larne into the all-Ireland motorway network.

(IT)