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History 5

   
P&O Irish Sea - click for home page
An impressive view of the modern harbour facilities of Larne.
The Ionic Ferry is pictured at the Continental Quay and the
freight vessel Puma occupies the Mackean Quay.
  operating between Fleetwood and Larne which commenced operation in June 1973. In the following November the British Transport Docks Board started work on a ro-ro terminal at the Lancashire port and in 1974 P&O purchased the new ro-ro vessels Bison and Buffalo from Stena Line for £8 million. A further £1.25 million was invested in ro-ro units to be used in connection with the new ships.

Then in December 1974 they founded Pandoro providing a local transport operation for shippers to Ireland into which Ferrymasters (Ireland) was absorbed. In addition to the new service to Larne, one of the ships also served Dublin in a new joint venture with the British & Irish Steam Packet Co. (B+I). The Bison was first in service
 
Long established names such as Coast Lines, its subsidiary the Belfast Steamship Company (operating the overnight Liverpool - Belfast link with the new car ferries Ulster Prince and Ulster Queen) and Burns & Laird (operators of the Lion on the daylight Ardrossan - Belfast route) disappeared and the operating title of P&O Ferries (Irish Sea Services) was adopted.

In 1972 the formation of Ferrymasters (Ireland) Ltd. (the parent company of which Coast lines owned an interest) soon saw a new service		   in February 1975, actually operating her maiden voyage from the Royal Seaforth Dock in Liverpool, while the Buffalo followed in March.

The ro-ro trade expanded rapidly at a time when the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland were having a profound effect on the tourist and passenger/car market. Smaller, less profitable services were soon axed as the new Pandoro services went from strength to strength and services to and from Garston, Preston, Warrenpoint, Newry and Londonderry were all closed.