The vessel now ordered is the fifth in the Stena E-Flexer RoPax class and Stena RoRo has a further three options on vessels for delivery from 2021 and onwards. The newbuild has been signed to a 10-year bareboat charter with DFDS. The new ferry will operate in the English Channel between Dover and Calais. With a capacity of 3,100 lane metres and up to 1,000 passengers, the vessel will be DFDS’s largest ferry operating in the English Channel. The ship will be designed to the highest technical and environmental standard and will offer an anticipated 25 per cent lower fuel consumption compared with today’s ferries.
In 2016, Stena RoRo placed an order for four large RoPax vessels with the Chinese shipyard AVIC International with an option for a further four vessels. The vessel now ordered is the fifth in the series.
“The design of the ship will be worked out in close cooperation with DFDS. This deal is a good example of how we work being the largest and most well-known tonnage provider in the RoPax segment”, says Per Westling, MD of Stena RoRo.’’
The order is part of DFDS’s renewal of its fleet and will replace one of the six ferries currently operating in the English Channel.
“These ships have been designed not only to the highest standards of technical and environmental performance but also with a high degree of flexibility, thus ensuring that the design can be modified in order to fulfill our clients specific needs. As a tonnage provider we are very pleased and proud to be trusted by DFDS to develop this vessel for their very intensive English Channel service”, says Per Westling.
”In addition to this order, we also recently concluded a similar deal with the French ferry operator Brittany Ferries. The other three vessels will be operated by Stena Line on the Irish Sea”, Per Westling said.
Since 1977, Stena RoRo has been a leader in the development of new marine RoRo cargo and passenger concepts. Our products consist of both specially designed and standardised RoRo and RoPax vessels. The company charters some 20 vessels to operators all over the world, both other Stena companies and third parties. Stena RoRo specialises above all in using its technical expertise to design and convert existing vessels to be able to supply its customers with tailor-made transport solutions. We call this “Stenability”. www.stenaroro.com
