CÔTE D’OPALE (Stena E-Flexer #5 AVIC #W0268)
- CÔTE D’OPALE is a DFDS operated Ro-Pax ferry which sails on the Dover – Calais route. The ship is one of the Stena E-Flexer class of ferries. She was the fifth example of the class to be completed.
As with the other E-Flexer class vessels, CÔTE D’OPALE was constructed in China for Stena RoRo. Unlike the other members of the class, she was conceived and built as a day ferry. This means that she has no passenger cabin accommodation onboard. At 215.86m in length, CÔTE D’OPALE is the longest ferry in service on English Channel services.

CÔTE D’OPALE replaced the veteran Ro-Pax ferry CALAIS SEAWAYS in the DFDS fleet during August 2021. The latter vessel was then laid up pending sale.
Passenger accommodation onboard CÔTE D’OPALE is spread over two decks, though the lower of these decks is dedicated to commercial drivers. Leisure passengers have access to a range of facilities on deck 8, including the largest duty-free shop of any ferry on the English Channel. Her layout is the biggest departure to date to that on the first E-Flexer, STENA ESTRID, reflecting her role as a Dover Strait ferry.
In terms of vehicle capacity, CÔTE D’OPALE is amongst the most capacious ferries crossing between England and France. As with her Stena Line E-Flexer part-sisters in service on the Irish Sea, she can accommodate 3,100 lane metres of freight. In addition, as with the Stena Line ships, she can also take 120 passenger cars in a separate garage where required.
On the technical side, CÔTE D’OPALE retains most of the standard setup seen on the Stena Line E-Flexers. The biggest changes are the addition of a third bow thruster for improved manoeuvrability in port, and a Heinen and Hopman supplied heating and ventilation system in place of the usual Novenco system.
The following posts involving CÔTE D’OPALE are available on niferry.co.uk
- Ferry News
Keel laid for new Dover – Calais Ferry. New Holyhead Ship Undertaking Sea Trials
DFDS have announced the first keel block of their new Dover Strait ferry has been laid in China. Meanwhile, Stena's first E-Flexer is getting close to delivery.
Read More » - Ferry News
Third Stena E-Flexer, Brittany Ferries first, Floated Out
The third Stena E-Flexer, Galicia, was floated yesterday and left her building dock earlier today. Meanwhile progress continues on the rest of the series.
Read More » - Ferry News
Steel cutting starts for DFDS’s new Dover to Calais Stena E-Flexer Ferry, as name is announced.
Steel cutting began today on what will be the fifth Stena E-Flexer to be built for Stena RoRo at AVIC Weihai, which will be long term bareboat chartered to DFDS.
Read More » - New-build Ferries
[Archived] Stena E-Flexer – Stena’s new class of Ro-Pax ferries
The leading independent resource on the internet for Stena's next generation of RoPax ferry, the Chinese built Stena E-Flexer class. Includes technical info and regular updates (including pictures) on the construction of the new vessels including those for Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, and DFDS.
Read More » - New-build Ferries
Stena’s E-Flexer – An overview of Stena’s New Generation of Passenger Ferries
Find out more about Stena's new E-Flexer class of Ro-Pax passenger and freight ferries for Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, and DFDS.
Read More »