Update 10.01.2020: Stena Line has confirmed that STENA ESTRID will begin commercial service on Monday. Her first departure will be 08:55 ex Holyhead on 13.1.2020.
Update 08.01.2020 @ 11:42: Having left Dublin at approx. 7pm, Stena Estrid returned to Holyhead at around 11pm having completed her planned drills and inspections in Dublin.
Stena Line’s STENA ESTRID arrived in Dublin for the second time this morning ahead of her possible introduction on the Holyhead – Dublin service this coming Monday, 13.01.2020. The brand new ferry arrived at the Ocean Pier at the Irish Capital around 6am this morning. She is in Dublin for drills to be undertaken and for inspection by the authorities ahead of her introduction it is understood. The ship is expected to leave Dublin to return to Holyhead this evening.
Separately, it has been revealed that the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar and his partner Dr Matt Bennett have declined an invitation by letter to be the godparents of the new vessel. According to The Herald, Stena Line executive Ian Hampton wrote the letter on behalf of owner Dan Stena Olson and Chief Executive Niklas Martensson. They included the following quotes from the letter in their article:
“We would like to formally ask yourself and your partner to be the godparents of the vessel that will operate [the] Holyhead and Dublin route,”
“We ask out of sincerity for our important relationship with the Republic of Ireland whilst ensuring we live our values.”
STENA ESTRID is the first of five new E-Flexer vessels to be introduced by Stena Line on their European route network. The second and third of these vessels, STENA EDDA and STENA EMBLA, will serve the Belfast – Liverpool (Birkenhead) route in place of STENA LAGAN and STENA MERSEY. STENA EDDA is expected to enter service on the route around the middle of this year. Her delivery in China reported to be around the middle of this month according to her builders who have also said she completed four days of sea trials last month. After delivery she will make a similar voyage from Weihai to the UK as her sister-ship STENA ESTRID.
For more information on STENA ESTRID please visit her dedicated page here. We hope to add additional information and media of the new ship this coming weekend ahead of her planned introduction to service on the route between Dublin and Holyhead.