Stena Line’s former Belfast regular STENA SCOTIA made a return to Belfast on Friday, having completed a journey of around 52 hours from Hoek van Holland near Rotterdam.
The Japanese-built freighter will cover for her sister STENA HIBERNIA from tonight so the latter can dry dock at Harland and Wolff.
STENA SCOTIA originally arrived in Belfast in 2009 as MAERSK EXPORTER for then Belfast – Heysham operator Norfolk Line.
She was displaced from the route, along with her sister, by the arrival on charter of SEATRUCK PERFORMANCE and SEATRUCK PRECISION in September 2012 which became STENA PERFORMER and STENA PRECISION respectively.
The two Seatruck ships are to return to their owner at the end of the month to expand capacity on their Warrenpoint to Heysham route. As a result Stena Line have brought STENA SCOTIA back to Belfast, initially to release STENA HIBERNIA for dry dock then replace STENA PERFORMER on the Heysham run.
STENA SCOTIA now has a slightly different profile to her sister as a result of the addition of a funnel extension to house an exhaust gas scrubber system. STENA FORERUNNER which will replace STENA PRECISION on the Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead) route also has scrubbers fitted, though they aren’t as visually obvious.
With thanks to Scott Mackey and Rob de Visser.