Stena Shuffles Irish Sea Ferry Fleet
Stena Line is to suspend Fishguard sailings and shuffle its Irish Sea fleet this weekend in order to release its Belfast – Cairnryan vessels for maintenance.
STENA SUPERFAST VII is one of two sister-ships which currently operate Stena Line’s Belfast to Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) service. She was completed in 2001 as SUPERFAST VII for Attica Holdings’ Superfast Ferries subsidiary as the lead vessel of the four ship Superfast VII series completed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany.
As-built her sister-ships are the current STENA SUPERFAST VIII, ATLANTIC VISION, and STENA SUPERFAST X. Along with SUPERFAST VIII, she was built specifically to operate Superfast Ferries’ new Baltic Sea service between Hanko (Finland) and Rostock (Germany), a service which was sold along with its vessels SUPERFAST VII-IX to Estonia’s Tallink in 2006 – just 5 years after it was established.
Since 2011 STENA SUPERFAST VII has operated the Belfast – Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) route in tandem with her sister-ship STENA SUPERFAST VIII after both ships were re-built for the route in Poland at a reported cost of €14m. Along with her sister and operating partner, STENA SUPERFAST VII is the largest vessel to ever operate a ferry service between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
You can read more about STENA SUPERFAST VII on her dedicated page here.
Stena Line is to suspend Fishguard sailings and shuffle its Irish Sea fleet this weekend in order to release its Belfast – Cairnryan vessels for maintenance.
25 years after Sealink became Stena Line, we take a brief look at the changes that have occurred in Stena Line Uk & Ireland’s first quarter century.
In the second of today’s features celebrating 25 years of Stena Line in Belfast, we take a look at developments from 2010 onwards.
‘Stena Vinga’ will arrive in Ireland within the next week, allowing ‘Stena Estrid’ to continue providing cover at Belfast.
Stena Line’s ‘Stena Estrid’ is now in service on the Belfast – Cairnryan route, while ‘Stena Superfast VIII’ is undergoing maintenance at Harland & Wolff.
Stena Line’s `’Stena Estrid’ will make her debut in Belfast tomorrow when she arrives to cover the dry docking of ‘Stena Superfast VIII’.
‘Oceanex Connaigra’ has now entered Belfast Building Dock ahead of an expected return of ‘Stena Superfast VII’ and ‘Stena Superfast VIII’ to H&W.
‘Stena Scotia’ has left Belfast Building Dock, triggering a chain of moves which will see ‘Stena Estrid’ cover the Belfast – Cairnryan route.
“Oceanex Connaigra’ is expected to arrive at Harland & Wolff tomorrow ahead of further work for Stena Line which may see some visitors to Belfast from Dublin.
‘Stena Nordica’ has returned to Belfast ahead of covering ‘Stena Scotia’ which is expected to enter Belfast Building Dock on Monday.
‘Stena Nordica’ will provide dry dock cover for the Belfast – Heysham freight ships next month when the pair dry dock in Belfast.
Stena Line’s ‘Stena Europe’ is currently on her way back to Fishguard where she will release ‘Stena Nordica’ to return to the Holyhead – Dublin route.