New hybrid vessel scheduled to enter service in Autumn 2025
Stena Line has marked a significant milestone in its ambitious fleet investment programme with the keel laying of the first ‘NewMax’ vessel for the Belfast to Heysham route. The ship has been officially named STENA FUTURA.
The keel laying ceremony for STENA FUTURA, yard number W0320, took place on Friday, 28 June, at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, China.
This is the same shipyard that is building Stena’s E-Flexer series of passenger ferries. These include STENA EDDA and STENA EMBLA, which serve the Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead) route.
STENA FUTURA’s keel laying signifies the beginning of construction for the first of two ‘NewMax’ hybrid vessels, both designed to run on methanol. These new ships will significantly boost freight capacity on the Belfast to Heysham route. The name of the second ship will be announced at a later date.
A key focus during construction is the incorporation of advanced technologies that enable the use of both battery propulsion and shore power, where available.
The NewMax vessels are designed to be future-proof, with a progressive propulsion system that will allow them to be decarbonised over time.
Stena Line is collaborating closely with Heysham owner Peel Ports and Belfast Harbour to ensure the smooth introduction of STENA FUTURA.
This partnership includes securing the necessary shore infrastructure to provide additional electrical capacity, aligning with the long-term goal of powering the new ships by shore power while docked.
“Keel laying marks a significant milestone in the construction of our new hybrid ships for the Belfast-Heysham route, and we are delighted to announce its name – Stena Futura. As demand for freight across the Irish Sea continues to grow, the increase in capacity will be universally welcomed by hauliers and exporters,” said Paul Grant, Trade Director for the Irish Sea at Stena Line.
Source: Stena Line Press Release
“Stena Line is committed to taking responsibility and being part of the solution to climate change. Investing in new ships, prepared to run on alternative fuels as well as electricity, is an important part of our strategy of moving towards new sustainable fuels and setting new industry standards.”
Source: Stena Line Press Release
The keel laying of the second NewMax vessel is scheduled for this autumn, with the ship expected to enter service in early 2026. STENA FUTURA and its sister vessel will replace STENA HIBERNIA and STENA SCOTIA on the Heysham route.
The NewMax vessels will be able to carry around 1,000 additional lane metres of freight compared to the ships that they replace.
Swedish Stena Line also recently announced that it had signed a contract with China Merchants Jinling (Weihai) for the enlargement of its Stena 4Runner Mk II freighters STENA FORETELLER and STENA FORERUNNER.
The pair currently sail between the UK and The Netherlands.
