There are three freight routes run by CLdN RoRo and Stena Line which all sail to Ireland daily.

In 1891, the Midland Railway, which already operated Morecambe Harbour four miles to the north-east, gave notice of its intention to develop a new harbour at Heysham and appointed consulting engineers James Abernethy and his son to undertake a feasibility study of the project.

In 1895, a much larger Heysham port plan was put forward by Messrs James Abernethy & Son, in conjunction with the Midland Railway's chief engineer.

The first passenger sailing was a day trip to Douglas, Isle of Man by the Londonderry on the 13 August 1904.

This was to allow tankers which were too large for the port to berth at the new Trimpell refinery, which produced aviation fuel.