Majority of Stena Line Irish Sea fleet to visit Harland and Wolff in early 2016.
As previously speculated, Stena Flavia will be the designated refit cover vessel for Stena Line’s Irish Sea refits in 2016. Stena Flavia will leave the Baltic on 09/1/16 for Rosslare to take up service to Cherbourg from 14/1/16 until 8/3/16 in place of Stena Horizon. Gothenburg to Frederikshavn vessel Stena Gothica is believed to be planned to cover for Stena Flavia in her absence. The former Celtic Link vessel Stena Horizon will visit Harland and Wolff from 14/1/16 to 28/1/16, after which she will cover the Dublin to Holyhead route until approximately 7/3/16.
On Stena Horizon‘s arrival at Dublin, Stena Superfast X will have an in water survey from 28/1/16 until 30/1/16. She will then leave for Belfast to cover the refits of Stena Superfast VIII and VII, returning to Holyhead on 16/2/16 and onto Stena Adventurer‘s schedule until 7/3/16 when the ships will revert to their own schedules on Stena Adventurer’s return from Belfast. Stena Adventurer will visit Harland and Wolff from 16/2/16 until 7/3/16.
The North Channel twins Stena Superfast VIII and Stena Superfast VII will also visit Harland and Wolff. Stena Superfast VIII will go first this year, getting the longer refit period from 1/2/16 until 14/2/16. Stena Superfast VII will visit the shipyard from 16/2/16 to 16/2/16. Cover for both vessels will be provided by Dublin to Holyhead’s Stena Superfast X – allowing an opportunity for those of us who use the North Channel service regularly to compare her against her sisters on the same service. Stena Superfast X is of course configured very differently inside from VII and VIII.
Stena Europe will be the odd one out from the fleet, visiting A&P Falmouth from 16/2/16 to approximately 7/3/16. The veteran Rosslare to Fishguard vessel will not be covered, instead a space charter is again to provided on the Irish Ferries Rosslare – Pembroke dock service, as has become the norm in recent years.
Finally, a quick summary of the above dates.
Vessel |
Refit dates | Refit location | Cover provided |
Stena Horizon |
14/1/16 – 8/3/16 |
Belfast |
Stena Flavia |
Stena Superfast X |
28/1/16 – 30/1/16 | N/A (underwater survey) |
Stena Horizon |
Stena Adventurer |
16/2/16 – 7/3/16 | Belfast |
Stena Horizon |
Stena Superfast VIII |
1/2/16 – 14/2/16 | Belfast |
Stena Superfast X |
Stena Superfast VII |
14/2/16 – 16/2/16 | Belfast |
Stena Superfast X |
Stena Europe | 16/2/16 – 7/3/16 | Falmouth |
Irish Ferries space charter |
Title image: Stena Superfast VII in dry dock at Harland & Wolff Belfast. Copyright © Scott Mackey 2015.
Please note, as always the above is provided in good faith but is subject to change.