This page will be continually updated throughout the refit period which is expected to run until May 2017. Last years “in strange waters” can be found here.
Please note that due to the nature of their content, both pages are very heavy in photographic material and may take a while to load on slower connections. The second part of this year’s feature can be found here.
Table of Contents
This year Stena Line will complete all Irish Sea dry docking’s at Belfast’s Harland and Wolff shipyard, that’s a total of 9 ships from the fleet of 11. At the end of 2016 Stena announced that the entire fleet would be receiving the latest livery and strap-line “Connecting Europe for a Sustainable Future” during their scheduled dry docking’s, in a style similar to that applied to Stena Britannica recently. This replaces the previous “Making Good Time” strap-line.
(Title image: Stena Europe in Rosslare displaying the new Stena Line livery following her 2017 refit at Harland and Wolff, Belfast. Stena Line)
#1 Stena Hibernia
Stena’s 2017 Irish Sea refits got off to a start in the last days of 2016, with Stena Hibernia (ex Hibernia Seaways, Maersk Importer) making the short hop to Harland and Wolff’s Belfast Dry Dock for few days TLC out of the water.
Stena Nordica returns to the Irish Sea
Whilst last year saw Stena Flavia (ex Pilar del Mar, Watling Street) arrive from the Baltic to provide refit cover on the Irish Sea, this year saw the return of former Irish Sea favourite Stena Nordica (ex Malo Seaways, Stena Nordica, European Ambassador). Following her arrival on the Irish Sea (and a brief visit to Dublin) over the Christmas period, Stena Nordica made her way to Rosslare to relieve Stena Europe (ex Lion Europe, Stena Saga, Kronprinsessan Victoria). By this stage Stena Hibernia had already left Harland and Wolff. During her voyage from the Baltic, Stena Nordica also appears to have regained her red Stena funnel colours – until then she had been white all-over after the painting out of the GNV livery she had previously worn whilst on charter to that operator.
#2 Stena Europe
Stena Europe then sailed overnight to Belfast, arriving at around 10am on the 4/1/17 for dry docking at Harland and Wolff.
Update 14/1/17:
Stena Europe is due to leave Harland and Wolff tomorrow as the first Irish Sea vessel in the revised Stena Line livery, complete with green waves. She is scheduled to resume Rosslare to Fishguard service with the 21:15 ex Rosslare on Monday.
Stena Horizon is currently timetabled to take up the Belfast to Birkenhead service on Wednesday evening, following Stena Nordica taking up the 21:30 ex Rosslare to Cherbourg on Tuesday in Horizon’s place. Horizon will release the regular Birkenhead ships Stena Lagan and Stena Mersey in turn for their own refits at Harland & Wolff.
Update 16/1/17
Stena Horizon left Rosslare bound for Belfast this evening, with arrival expected at around 9am tomorrow morning. She is expected to take up service on Wednesday evening, replacing Stena Lagan which will make the short journey across the river to Belfast Dry Dock for refit. In the meantime, Stena Horizon looks set to be berthed at the Ship Repair Quay from Tuesday morning to Wednesday evening.
NB: The above is taken from Marine Traffic and the Belfast Harbour website, and is of course subject to change!
Stena Europe arrived in Rosslare earlier today, and is scheduled to return to service with the 09:00 sailing to Fishguard on Tuesday. This will release Stena Nordica to operate the overnight sailing to Cherbourg in lieu of Stena Horizon which will be in Belfast.
Stena Horizon in Belfast
Stena Horizon is currently set to take up service on the Belfast – Liverpool (Birkenhead) service on the 18/1/17 overnight sailing to Birkenhead in place of Stena Lagan.
#3 Stena Lagan
Stena Lagan arrived at Harland and Wolff for dry docking on 18/1/17, having been released by Stena Horizon on the Birkenhead route.
Update 28/1/17
Scott Mackey took his camera along to Harland and Wolff earlier today to see how Stena Lagan is coming on. Heres a selection of his pictures (more on www.flickr.com/scottmackey).
#4 Stena Mersey
Due to the number of photographs contained in this feature it is continued on another page here
The above article is Copyright © Steven Tarbox / NI Ferry Site and the named photographic contributors. With special thanks to Diane Poole MBE @ Stena Line and Scott Mackey.