link to Northern Ireland, representing the shortest crossing distance between Britain and Ireland. The port activity has increased substantially since the route first started operating out of the Loch in 1849. There are currently a total of four conventional RORO ferries. These are split between two ferry companies, Stena Line and P&O Ferries. On 21 November 2011, Stena Line relocated their ferry service to Belfast to a location north of Cairnryan Village. Loch Ryan Port is now served by two Superfast Conventional ferries replacing the HSS Fastcraft and old tonnage Stena Caledonia and Stena Navigator. Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII now complete the crossing from Loch Ryan Port to Belfast in 2 hours 15 minutes. P&O, operating from Cairnryan run two conventional ferries (European Causeway & European Highlander). The investment in new port facilities at Cairnryan gives security to the future of the North Channel route. It will also lead to future potential small craft maritime development at the southern end of the Loch, which will be completely free from large and regular ferry traffic. The Loch already sees small craft usage, with the Loch Ryan Sailing club operating from Wig Bay, and Stranraer Marina in Stranraer harbour beside the West Pier. Between 1992 and 1999 Sea Containers operated the SeaCat fast ferry on the Stranraer - Belfast route. They subsequently moved to Troon, before finally ending the service altogether in 2005. While conventional ferries (moving at around 15 knots) have worked the route for many decades the fast ferries were capable of much greater speeds (around 40 knots). The wash that these large craft generated led to speed restrictions being imposed within the majority of the loch, with fast ferries unable to increase their speeds above until they were to the north of Old House point on the northern side of Cairnryan. Further speed restrictions were imposed on the HSS during the tern breeding season, when wash from the ship could cause problems for the breeding birds on the Scar. The levels of wash that the fast ferries created was the subject of some controversy, with many suggesting that the death by drowning of a man and his two sons in the loch in July 2003 was due to their boat being overwhelmed by a large wave created by a nearby passing ferry. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch report on the incident suggested, however, that the condition