Dublin – Holyhead ferry off service for maintenance since the beginning of May
Stena Line’s STENA ESTRID is expected to return to service this coming Monday, according to the Stena Line timetable. The ship is expected to release relief vessel STENA NORDICA with the 08:55 departure from Holyhead. STENA ESTRID left Holyhead for Loch Ryan Port on May 2nd, arriving the following morning. While there work has been undertaken on one of the ships German-built Caterpillar main engines.
Stena Europe to dry dock
Once released from her duties at Holyhead, STENA NORDICA is expected to make her way to Fishguard. The versatile former P&O ferry is currently timetabled to takeover from STENA EUROPE with the 13:10 sailing from Fishguard to Rosslare this Tuesday, June 16. This will allow STENA EUROPE to go for her annual dry docking. This years dry docking is expected to take place at Harland & Wolff.
Previously Stena Line have stated this is expected to take around two weeks. The veteran Swedish-built ferry is no stranger to Harland & Wolff, having visited the yard on a number of occasions since she replaced KONINGIN BEATRIX on the Fishguard route in March 2002.
Arrow leaving the building dock
UPDATE: Harland & Wolff has confirmed that contrary to our report below, there is no issue with the gate at Belfast Dry Dock. The company have brought Belfast Building Dock back into operation so that Belfast Dry Dock can undergo a 10 year survey and have planned maintenance carried out. Harland & Wolff also hope to have multiple vessels dry docking simultaneously in the near future. There has been a lot of interest in using the facility and a number of bookings have already been made.
The Isle of Man Steam Packet’s freight relief vessel ARROW is currently in the building dock at H&W, but is expected to leave this afternoon. Posts online indicate that the yard are using the building dock, still the biggest in Western Europe, at present due to an issue with the gate at Belfast Dry Dock.
The shipyard, which was rescued by InfraStrata late last year, has just launched a refreshed website here.
