W2C-004 Belfast Telegraph 3-2.txt
Sealink sails into row Darwin Templeton

A war of words erupted today after Stena Sealink claimed victory in the three-way battle of the waves over the critical summer peak period.

Representatives for Seacat and P O issued blunt replies after Sealink claimed to have left its rivals trailing in its wake over the summer.

Sealink released figures for their performance from June 27 to August 28, claiming that it carried 38,493 more passengers and 10,818 more cars between Larne and Stranraer than last year.

That represented 12 pc more passengers and 17 pc more cars, increasing their overall market share to 55.6 pc in both.

But a spokesman for P O accused Sealink of being selective in their choice of dates, saying: "Two months don't make a year. We have carried 25 pc more passengers and 34 pc more cars in the year from January 1 to the end of August - that is what counts."
And a Seacat spokesman said: "Our market share is a very satisfactory 24 pc.
But for Seacat the Northern Ireland public would still be travelling in mundane vessels and having to pay a hefty price for the privilege."

But Sealink did admit that their numbers had fallen over the nine months from January 1 to Monday of this week, by 20,755 passengers and 9,644 cars.

Sealink estimates that the market as a whole grew by 16.2 pc in terms of passengers and by 16.5 pc in cars between January 1 and Monday.

"Whilst we did loose volume slightly at the start of the year, we have outperformed our competitors during the vital summer peak period," a Sealink spokesman said.
