28 January 2021
From Thursday, 28th January, the French authorities have indicated that mandatory COVID-19 testing is required for all freight drivers who are travelling to France. Stena Line is not permitted to allow drivers to board unless they have a negative antigen test result, undertaken prior to check-in.
If any freight driver arrives in France without a valid negative test certificate, they will not be permitted to enter the country; this will result in them being repatriated to Ireland, with their load. Therefore, Stena Line staff will be validating all drivers’ negative test results at check-in for our French services.
The Irish Government is setting up pre-boarding COVID-19 testing centres for freight drivers leaving through Dublin Port and Rosslare. The locations will be released shortly.
Please note these testing facilities are for commercial freight drivers only. Members of the public travelling with Stena Line are not permitted to be tested there.
Requirements for travel passengers have also changed. All travel passengers, that are not commercial truck drivers, need to present a valid negative result from a PCR test, that has been undertaken 72 hours prior to departure.
The full announcement from the Department of Transport can be read here.
Download the Q&As that provide details of the Irish Government’s testing locations for freight drivers heading to France.