STENA SUPERFAST VII (ex SUPERFAST VII) imo: 9198941
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 Irish Sea refit schedule for 2016
Majority of Stena Line Irish Sea fleet to visit Harland and Wolff in early 2016. As previously speculated, Stena Flavia will be the designated refit cover vessel for Stena Line’s Irish Sea refits in 2016. Stena Flavia will leave the Baltic on 09/1/16 for Rosslare to take up service to Cherbourg from 14/1/16 until 8/3/16 in place of Stena Horizon. Gothenburg to Frederikshavn vessel Stena Gothica is believed to be planned to cover for Stena Flavia in her absence. The former Celtic Link vessel Stena Horizon will visit Harland and Wolff from 14/1/16 to 28/1/16, after which she will cover the Dublin to Holyhead route until approximately 7/3/16. On Stena Horizon‘s arrival at Dublin, Stena Superfast X will have an in water survey from 28/1/16 until 30/1/16. She will then leave for Belfast to cover the refits of Stena Superfast VIII and VII, returning to Holyhead on 16/2/16 and onto Stena ... Read more
Stena Line refit update 2016.
Refit cover to provided by Baltic Sea vessel. NIFS understand Stena Flavia (ex Watling Street) has been nominated as the refit cover vessel for the Irish Sea January to March 2016. It is believed she will cover for Stena Horizon (ex Celtic Horizon) at Rosslare before covering for Stena Superfast X (formerly Dieppe Seaways, SeaFrance Moliere, Jean Nicoli, etc) and Stena Adventurer at Holyhead. Stena Superfast X will provide refit relief for her north channel sisters, Stena Superfast VII and VIII, giving Belfast to Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) passengers the opportunity to sample a very different Superfast vessel to those regularly on the run. Stena Flavia is of course a part-sister to Stena Lagan, Stena Mersey, Stena Horizon, and Irish Ferries Epsilon. It is understood that Stena Flavia will be covered on her Travemunde to Ventspils route by Gothenburg – Fredrikshavn regular Stena Gothica (ex Ask, Seafreight Freeway, etc), with that service continuing to operate with ... Read more
Stena in Belfast – Celebrating 20 years of Stena Line operating from Belfast.
20th anniversary of Stena Line switching the historic Larne – Stranraer service to Belfast. Today marks 20 years from the last sailing of what was then Stena Sealink Line, into the Port of Larne from Scotland, with tomorrow the anniversary of the first Stena ferry sailing from Belfast. Few could have predicted at the time that 20 years, and 2 bespoke Belfast-Scotland terminals later, Stena Line would also offer services from Belfast to Birkenhead and Heysham, as well as operating a pair of 203 metre long ferries to Scotland from Belfast. Just six weeks after the switch, on the 31st December 1995, the “Sealink” name would disappear altogether with all UK operations being rebranded as “Stena Line”. Of course, things have also changed dramatically at Larne. No longer Northern Ireland’s premier ferry port, Stena’s rise at Belfast has been somewhat mirrored by P&O’s decline at Larne. The services to Fleetwood and ... Read more
Stena Line dry dock update
As of last weekend, four of Stena’s Irish Sea ships should have completed overhauls: Stena Performer, Stena Mersey, Stena Lagan and Stena Hibernia. Stena Hibernia had been expected to resume service to Liverpool (Birkenhead) at 15:00hrs on Monday, but is still at Harland & Wolff. Stena Precision is currently en-route from Birkenhead to Belfast so may well swap places with Hibernia after discharging in Belfast as she is the next vessel scheduled to visit Harland & Wolff. Stena Superfast VIII and then Stena Superfast VII are expected to visit Harland & Wolff in March with Stena Nordica providing cover on the North Channel service following being displaced on the Dublin – Holyhead route by Stena Superfast X. Of 7 ships a total of 6 have been/will be handled by Harland & Wolff – Stena Lagan being the exception as she went to A&P Falmouth in December as the H&W where busy handling ... Read more
Stena Line sailings to Cairnryan back on?
Following on from the update earlier today, this is the latest information from Stena Line Ex Belfast 12th Dec @ 0330am – passengers sent SMS and advised sailing @ 0230am & check-in no later than 0200am Ex Belfast 12th Dec @ 0730am – passengers sent SMS and advised sailing @ 0830am & check-in no later than 0730am Ex Belfast 12th Dec 1930 & 2330 to be confirmed later today and ex Cairnryan **** DUE TO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS AND BAD WEATHER OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS THE FOLLOWING TIMETABLE IS IN OPERATION TODAY (FRIDAY) **** : 0400 SAILING AS NORMAL 0730 RESHEDULED TO 0630 (1HR EARLY) 1130/1530 RESCHULED TO 1330 1930 RESCHEDULED TO 1830 Stena Superfast VII crossed and briefly used the berth at Belfast this evening – she is currently en route back to Cairnryan. It would appear from the above information that one of the berths at Cairnryan is ... Read more
Technical problems on North Channel services
Both European Highlander and Stena Superfast VII where off service today at Harland and Wolff shipyard. Whilst the Stena maintenance had been planned, European Highlander suffered serious technical problems towards the end of last week and so was drydocked this morning. This has meant North Channel services to both Cairnryan ports have operated at half capacity. P&O’s Express Catermaran is also at Harland and Wolff being readied for her planned return to service At the end of the month. Stena Hibernia left Belfast laden this evening just after 7:30pm bound for Cairnryan in order to move trailer traffic across the channel and I assume she will also return laden. At present European Highlander is still in drydock, and Superfast VII is scheduled to be off service tomorrow as well, so all sailings are expected to be very busy again tomorrow. At present the active fleet is as follows: P&O Larne ... Read more