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www.truckandtrack.com
Winter 2018
Truck and Track
71
PORTS
Stena Line has reached an importantmilestone in itsmajor new
fleet investment programme with the steel cutting of a third
E-Flexer RoPax ship to be deployed on its Irish Sea routes. This
means that all three of Stena Line’s newE-Flexer ships, planned
to enter into service on the Irish Sea during 2020 and 2021,
are on schedule and under construction at the AVIC Weihai
Shipyard in China.
The first of the new vessels will commence operation on the
Holyhead to Dublin route in early 2020, with the remaining two
ships to be introduced on the Liverpool to Belfast route in 2020 and
2021.
Stena Line Chief Operating Officer, Peter Arvidsson, commented:
“We are delighted to report that the steel cutting ceremony for the
third of our Irish Sea E-Flexer ships has now taken place and that
construction is going to plan across all three of our new generation
RoPax vessels. Having visited the site several times, we are very
impressed with the work being carried out by Stena RoRo, the Avic
shipyard and its subcontractors.”
All three Irish Sea E-Flexer vessels will be bigger than today’s
standard RoPax vessels at 215 meters long with a freight capacity
of 3,100 lane meters and the space to carry 120 cars and 1,000
passengers.
In addition, Stena Line ordered a further two E-Flexer RoPax vessels
with a larger design in July 2018, to be deployed within Stena Line’s
network in 2022. These larger ships will be 240 meters long with a
total freight capacity of 3,600 lane meters, and passenger capacity
of 1,200.
“With continued investment in our fleet, we want to lead the
development of sustainable shipping and set new industry
standards when it comes to operational performance, emissions
and cost competiveness,” added Mr Arvidsson.
Stena Line’s three Irish Sea E-Flexer ships
now under construction
Stena Line EFlexer #1 is steel ready at the AVICWeihai Shipyard in China
Photographer: Stena RoRo