Stena’s New Dublin Ferry Successfully Completes Trials

By: Steven Tarbox
Date:
Last updated:
STENA ESTRID. Stena Line.
STENA ESTRID. Stena Line.

First Stena E-Flexer almost ready for delivery

Stena’s first E-Flexer ferry, STENA ESTRID, completed a major milestone earlier this month with the successful completion of her sea trials according to reports from China.  The trials were undertaken under the supervision of Stena RoRo and Stena Line, classification society DNV-GL, and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and involved testing all of the ships onboard systems in both normal and emergency scenarios.  Factors such as vibration and noise insulation were also tested by the team, with the ship attaining DNV-GL’s COMF-V and VIBR standards.  

The completion of these trials means that after some final outfitting, STENA ESTRID will be “delivered” to Stena at the recently renamed “China Merchants Jinling Shipbuilding (Weihai) Co Ltd” shipyard next month.

STENA ESTRID completes a manoeuvre during her trials. China Merchants (video screenshot)
STENA ESTRID completes a manoeuvre during her trials. China Merchants (video screenshot)

Following delivery, the new 40,500gt ferry will leave China for Northern Europe – a journey expected to last around a month.  STENA ESTRID is expected to enter service on the route between Holyhead and Dublin early next year.  She will be followed a few months later by STENA EDDA which will join the Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead) route in place of STENA LAGAN.  

The latter will then sail to Turkey as previously reported for lengthening and rebuilding into a drive-through vessel for a new route by SEDEF.  Sister-ship STENA MERSEY will follow once she has been released from her route.

STENA ESTRID is the first in a series of highly efficient Ro-Pax ferries built for Stena RoRo to be operated by sister company Stena Line as well as other companies. To date, there are nine firm orders with Stena Line taking five of the vessels, Brittany Ferries three, and DFDS a single ship.  While constructed in China, European suppliers have been heavily involved in the new ships which have been built under the supervision of marine architects Deltamarin, Stena RoRo, DNV-GL, and the MCA.  STENA ESTRID will be the first Stena Line ship built to SRtP regulations and will be the first large passenger ferry built in China to operate in UK and Irish waters.


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