Atlantic Container line AB (ACL) is teaming up with BG Freight Line (BGFL) and Peel Ports in Liverpool and Dublin to provide a new service that will significantly improve transit times and reliability in both directions between Ireland and North America.

This new service will be one to two weeks faster than other transatlantic services to and from Dublin and Belfast. ACL said the reliability will significantly improve as well, due to additional spare time in the schedule.

The BGFL Liverpool-Ireland service is being upgraded two weeks from now. The main service details are shown below.

This first eastbound sailing for this new service will be the ATLANTIC SUN, sailing New York, May 10, Baltimore, May 13, Norfolk, May 14, Halifax, May 16, connecting in Liverpool with JSP ANNA, arriving Dublin, May 26 and Belfast, May 27.

The first westbound sailing for this new service will be JSP ANNA, departing Belfast, May 27 and Dublin, May 31, connecting in Liverpool with the ATLANTIC SEA, arriving Halifax, June 3, New York, June 5, Baltimore, June 8 and Norfolk, June 10.

ACL is able to achieve the faster transits because:

1. ACL’s schedule – with Liverpool as first port into Europe and last port out of Europe – gives it the fastest transatlantic service to/from the UK and Ireland. There are no intermediate European ports that add time.
2. Liverpool is the closest deep sea port to both Dublin and Belfast. Continental ports are three to four times further away. Liverpool requires one day fewer steaming to/from Dublin and 1.5 fewer days to/from Belfast. Less time reduces fuel and costs meaning it is also environmentally cleaner.
3. ACL and BGFL have agreed to coordinate their schedules to minimize connection time at Liverpool. BGFL will arrive in Liverpool immediately after the incoming ACL eastbound ship and immediately before the departing ACL westbound ship.
4. Liverpool is giving ACL and BGFL berth and crane priority on this new service to ensure smooth connections every week.
5. BGFL, Marine Terminals Ltd (MTL) in Dublin and Royal Seaforth Container Terminal (RSCT) in Liverpool are all companies of the Peel Ports Group, enabling them to guarantee performance both at the ocean terminals and at sea. ACL has called at the Port of Liverpool for 57 consecutive years, so its relationships with the Peel Ports Group and its companies have a long and productive history.