Rosslare ferry expected back in service on Saturday
Stena Line’s veteran multi-purpose ferry STENA EUROPE left Harland & Wolff Belfast last night for her home port of Fishguard. The ship had been the first to visit the yard as part of a £2.5m contract between Stena Line and Harland & Wolff for Irish Sea fleet maintenance. STENA EUROPE is expected to arrive back at Fishguard later today ahead of resuming service on Saturday afternoon.
STENA NORDICA has been covering STENA EUROPE‘s Fishguard – Rosslare route since June 16. Once ‘Europe’ is back in service, STENA NORDICA is expected to release STENA ESTRID on the Holyhead – Dublin route so she can cover her running mate STENA ADVENTURER‘s dry docking.
According to Stena Line’s online freight timetable, STENA NORDICA will take over from STENA ESTRID with the 08:55 departure from Holyhead this coming Monday, July 6.
STENA ESTRID will then release STENA ADVENTURER from the 14:00 sailing ex Holyhead on the same day. The timetable indicates that STENA ADVENTURER will not return to the route until July 27.
This is the second time ‘Adventurer’ has dry docked this year, as she spent a number of weeks at Falmouth in February. While there, much of her passenger spaces were refurbished.
Also expected to dry dock over summer are the Belfast – Heysham freight ships STENA SCOTIA and STENA HIBERNIA. STENA SUPERFAST VII is to be the final ship to have work done at the yard under the Stena contract when she arrives in September.
Harland & Wolff is also currently undertaking some work on the cruise ships VIKING SKY and VIKING SEA which are currently moored at the Ship Repair Quay. A third ship, VIKING SUN, is currently away from the yard but is expected to return this afternoon. At the time of writing she is moored at Belfast Anchorage, near Bangor.
