Scottish Secretary visits Loch Ryan port
The Scottish Secretary, David Mundell, visited Scotland’s busiest port
Yesterday [Thursday 16 May] Mr Mundell was given a tour of the facilities at Loch Ryan port by the Stena Line Operations Manager, Andy Kane. He gave an insight into the work that goes into running this vital trading route for many Scottish companies.
Like thousands of people every day Mr Mundell travelled on the ferry as he made his way to the first Board of Trade to be in held in Belfast. The Board of Trade, chaired by the International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, champions exports, inward investment and outward direct investment to deliver economic growth and prosperity across the whole of the United Kingdom.
Mr Mundell said:
It was very helpful to be given a tour of Loch Ryan port which confirmed just how important it is for Scotland – and the UK’s - economy. With more than 9,000 sailings each year, it accounts for 45 per cent of Northern Ireland’s trade with the rest of the UK.
Loch Ryan is the busiest passenger port in Scotland with 1.2 million passengers using this service last year. This helps to maintain the important cultural and economic links that have long existed between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Transport links like this are important throughout the UK, underpinning local economies and communities. They support important sectors such as agriculture and fisheries, which are crucial to Scotland’s thriving food and drinks industry and are the lifeblood of the vibrant tourism industry in the south west of Scotland.
I am of course aware of the infrastructure challenges faced by Stena Line and others using this busy port. As an MP from Dumfries & Galloway I have constantly campaigned for improvement to the A75 and will continue to do so.