During July Sealink Heritage UK Ltd published a limited edition commemorative card to mark the forty year anniversary since the privatisation of Sealink in July 1984.
On the 18 July 1984 it was announced in the House of Commons that a £66 million bid for Sealink UK Limited by Sea Conatiners Limited was accepted by the British Railways Board and approved by the Secretary of State for Transport.
On the 27 July 1984 control of Sealink UK Limited offically passed to British Ferries Limited a wholly owned subsidary of Sea Containers Limited. Sealink became a subsidiary of British Ferries Limited and the trading name of Sealink British Ferries was adopted with the new corportae identity launched earlier during March was ammended during ships winter refits to reflect the new Sealink.
During 1990 Stena Line acquired Sealink, which was rebranded Sealink Stena Line followed by Stena Sealink Line. On the 1 January 1996 the Sealink name changed to that of its parent company Stena Line. Sealink was a powerful brand and this decision to rebrand was not taken lightly by its Scandinavian owner.
Stena was no starnger to Sealink as they chartered and sold many of there Scandinavian ferries to the British operator since the mid 1960’s.
Stena Line certainly have invested signifiantly in the former routes and ports owned and operated by Sealink, while some services have closed new routes have opened. This investment continues to this day. With the continued developemnt and introduction of the latest Stena E-Flexer class ferries.